World U-17 Hockey Challenge
Current season, competition or edition: 2014 World U-17 Hockey Challenge | |
Sport | Ice hockey |
---|---|
Inaugural season | 1986 |
Most recent champion(s) | United States |
Most titles | Canada Ontario (8) |
Sponsor(s) | Hockey Canada |
Related competitions |
Canadian Junior Hockey League World Junior A Challenge |
Official website | World U-17 Hockey Challenge |
The World U-17 Hockey Challenge, originally known as the Quebec Esso Cup, is an international ice hockey tournament held annually in Canada. Prior to 2011,[NB 1] the tournament did not operate during years in which the Canada Winter Games were held. As such, the World Under-17 Challenge was held three out of every four years. It is organized by Hockey Canada and is the first major international competition for male hockey players under the age of 17. The tournament is the first step in Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence and is used to identify players moving on to the U18 and National Junior Team.
Origins
The inaugural World Under-17 Hockey Challenge took place in Quebec as the 1986 Quebec Esso Cup. At the time, it was considered the unofficial world championship of midget hockey. It was also used as a development tool for the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association to identify players for further development as well as expose them to their first taste of international competition. The tournament was among ten teams, five regional teams from Canada, Finland, Czechoslovakia, U.S.A., Sweden, and the U.S.S.R. Team Quebec, led by future NHL first overall pick Pierre Turgeon captured gold by defeating the Soviets, who featured the likes of Sergei Fedorov and Alexander Mogilny. I Nathan Bruce made the team and won gold with Canada in 08.
Recent years
The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge has continued to grow over the years to the point where it is perhaps the largest annual event on Hockey Canada's calendar. The tournament is not an official World Championship, as it organized entirely by Hockey Canada. The IIHF holds the World Under-18 Championships each April.
The tournament is typically held over the Christmas break at the same time as the Under-20 World Junior Hockey Championships. As such, Sidney Crosby, who would have been slated to participate in the 2004 Championships did not take part having been selected to Canada's National Junior team at the time.
Participating teams
Canada enters five regional teams from across the country. These teams are:
- Canada Atlantic
- Canada Quebec
- Canada Ontario
- Canada Western (Manitoba and Saskatchewan)
- Canada Pacific (Alberta and British Columbia)
Other participating nations have included:
- United States
- Finland
- Russia
- Sweden
- Slovakia
- Czech Republic
- Germany
- Soviet Union (now defunct)
- Czechoslovakia (now defunct)
Results
Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Host(s) |
---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | United States | Canada Pacific | Russia | Cape Breton, (Sydney/North Sydney/Port Hawkesbury) |
2013 | Sweden | Russia | United States | Drummondville, Victoriaville |
2012 | Russia | United States | Canada Ontario | Windsor |
2011 [NB 1] | Canada Ontario | United States | Canada Pacific | Winnipeg / Portage La Prairie |
2010 | United States | Canada Ontario | Sweden | Timmins / Iroquois Falls / Cochrane / Kapuskasing / Kirkland Lake / New Liskeard |
2009 | Canada Ontario | Canada Pacific | United States | Campbell River / Courtenay / Duncan / Nanaimo / Parksville / Port Alberni |
2008 | Canada Ontario | United States | Canada West | London / Lucan / St. Thomas / Stratford / Strathroy / Woodstock |
2007 | The ice hockey tournament at the 2007 Canada Games was held in place of a 2007 tournament. | |||
2006 | Canada Quebec | United States | Czech Republic | Balgonie / Fort Qu'Appelle / Indian Head / Milestone / Moose Jaw / Regina / Southey / Weyburn |
2005 | Canada West | Canada Pacific | Canada Atlantic | Lethbridge |
2004 | Canada Ontario | Canada Pacific | Canada Quebec | St. John's |
2003 | The ice hockey tournament at the 2003 Canada Games was held in place of a 2003 tournament. | |||
2002 | United States | Canada Pacific | Canada Ontario | Selkirk / Stonewall |
2001 | United States | Canada Pacific | Canada Ontario | New Glasgow / Truro |
2000 | Russia | Canada Ontario | Canada Pacific | / Timmins /Chapleau / Cochrane / Haileybury / Hearst / Kapuskasing / Kirkland Lake / New Liskeard / Smooth Rock Falls / Rouyn-Noranda |
1999 | The ice hockey tournament at the 1999 Canada Games was held in place of a 1999 tournament. | |||
1998 II [NB 2] | Canada West | United States | Finland | Swift Current |
1998 I [NB 2] | Canada Ontario | Czech Republic | Canada Quebec | Kitchener |
1997 | Canada Ontario | Sweden | Canada Quebec | Red Deer |
1995 | Canada Ontario | Finland | Canada Quebec | Moncton |
1994 | Canada Quebec | United States | Canada Pacific | Amos |
1992 | Canada Ontario | Canada Quebec | Czechoslovakia | Sudbury |
1991 | The ice hockey tournament at the 1991 Canada Games was held in place of a 1991 tournament. | |||
1990 | Finland | Canada Quebec | Soviet Union | Quebec City |
1988 | Soviet Union | Sweden | Canada Quebec | Quebec City |
1986 | Canada Quebec | Soviet Union | Canada Pacific | Quebec City |
Medal table
Country | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Medals |
---|---|---|---|---|
Canada Ontario | 8 | 2 | 3 | 13 |
United States | 4 | 6 | 2 | 12 |
Canada Quebec | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 |
Russia Soviet Union |
2 1 3 |
1 1 2 |
1 1 2 |
4 3 7 |
Canada West | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Sweden | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
Finland | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Canada Pacific | 0 | 6 | 4 | 10 |
Czech Republic Czechoslovakia |
0 0 0 |
1 0 1 |
1 1 2 |
2 1 3 |
Canada Atlantic | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Notable players who have participated in this tournament
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See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The ice hockey tournament at the 2011 Canada Games was supposed be held in place of a 2011 tournament. This is no longer true. The Canada Games tourney is now for U16 players, which will be played at the 2011 Games in Halifax. The U17 tournament will be played as planned in Winnipeg and Portage la Prairie, Manitoba. The female U18s nationals is off this year due to the Canada Games, but not the men.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Split events were held in 1998
References
External links
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