World Junior A Challenge

Last updated
World Junior A Challenge
Most recent season or competition:
2022 World Junior A Challenge
World Jr A Logo.png
Sport Ice hockey
Inaugural season2006
Most recent
champion(s)		 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada West
Most titlesFlag of the United States.svg  United States (9)
TV partner(s) TSN
Sponsor(s) Hockey Canada
Canadian Junior Hockey League
International Ice Hockey Federation
Related
competitions		 CJHL Prospects Game
Royal Bank Cup
World U-17 Hockey Challenge
Official website World Junior A Challenge

The World Junior A Challenge (WJAC) is an annual under-20 international ice hockey tournament sponsored by Hockey Canada, the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The tournament showcases Junior A level players and is modeled after the IIHF World U20 Championships, which displays the best of all junior-aged hockey players. It has been hosted by Canadian cities every year in CJAHL markets.

Contents

The tournament features six teams per year and has seen teams from Canada, the United States, Russia, Sweden, Slovakia, Germany, Switzerland and Belarus. Canada is represented by two regional squads; Canada West consists of players from the British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Superior International Junior Hockey Leagues, while Canada East features players from the Northern Ontario, Ontario, Central, Quebec, and Maritime Junior Hockey Leagues. American players are chosen from the United States Hockey League. Canada West captured the first two gold medals in tournament history, while the United States won the next three. Also, Russia, who has been with the tournament since the beginning, generally sends their Under-18 Team in place of a general select squad. [1] [2] [3]

History

Canada West's Justin Gvora with the first ever awarded WJAC Championship Trophy and Medallion (2006) WJAC Canada West with Trophy.jpg
Canada West's Justin Gvora with the first ever awarded WJAC Championship Trophy and Medallion (2006)

The tournament was created in 2006 through a proposal by the Canadian Junior A Hockey League (CJHL prior to 2008) to Hockey Canada. The idea behind the tournament was to showcase players from Canadian Junior "A" to Canadian Hockey League, National Collegiate Athletic Association, and National Hockey League scouts, while also exposing them to an international level and style of play.

The inaugural 2006 tournament was hosted in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, and featured six teams – Canada West, Canada East, Russia, Slovakia, Germany and Belarus. Both Canadian teams met in the final with Canada West defeating Slovakia 7-1 and Canada East defeating Russia 5-1 in their respective semifinals. Led by Kyle Turris, Canada West ran up a 4-0 tally against Canada East early in the game and held on for a 4-3 victory to win the first-ever WJAC championship.

The 2007 tournament was held in Trail, British Columbia. The United States joined the tournament for the first time, replacing Slovakia. [4] For the second straight year, Canada West defeated the East in the final.

Beginning in 2008, the United States began a string of dominance at the tournament. They defeated Canada West in the 2008 (Camrose, Alberta) and 2009 (Summerside, Prince Edward Island) finals before winning their third consecutive title against Canada East in 2010 (Penticton, British Columbia). The 2009 tournament featured newcomers Sweden, who sent a team in place of Germany. That year also marked the first time in tournament history that Canada East failed to medal. At the 2010 WJAC, Switzerland competed in place of Belarus.

The 2013 tournament was won by the United States, 4-1, over Russia. This instance marked the first time in tournament history that both Canada East and Canada West were shut out of the gold medal game.

In 2014, the tournament was played in late December as opposed to it usually taking place in early November.

Champions

Year Med 1.png Med 2.png Med 3.png MVPHost City
2006 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada West Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada East Flag of Russia.svg Russia Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Kyle Turris Yorkton, Saskatchewan [5] [6]
2007 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada West Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada East Flag of the United States.svg United States Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Mike Connolly Trail, British Columbia [7] [8]
2008 Flag of the United States.svg United States Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada West Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada East Flag of the United States.svg Mike Cichy Camrose, Alberta [9]
2009 Flag of the United States.svg United States Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada West Flag of Russia.svg Russia Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Sean Bonar Summerside, Prince Edward Island [10]
2010 Flag of the United States.svg United States Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada East Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland Flag of the United States.svg Scott Mayfield Penticton, British Columbia [11]
2011 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada West Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada East Flag of the United States.svg United States Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Devin Shore Langley, British Columbia [12]
2012 Flag of the United States.svg United States Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada West Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland Flag of the United States.svg Vincent Hinostroza Yarmouth, Nova Scotia [13]
2013 Flag of the United States.svg  United States Flag of Russia.svg  Russia Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada West Flag of the United States.svg Nick Schmaltz Yarmouth, Nova Scotia [14]
2014 Flag of the United States.svg  United States Flag of Denmark.svg  Denmark Flag of Russia.svg  Russia Flag of Denmark.svg Nikolaj Ehlers Kindersley, Saskatchewan
2015 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada West Flag of Russia.svg  Russia Flag of the United States.svg  United States Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Tyson Jost Cobourg & Whitby, Ontario
2016 Flag of the United States.svg  United States Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada East Flag of Russia.svg  Russia Flag of Russia.svg Andrei Svechnikov Bonnyville, Alberta
2017 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada West Flag of the United States.svg  United States Flag of the Czech Republic.svg  Czech Republic Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Zach Rose Truro, Nova Scotia [15]
2018 Flag of the United States.svg  United States Flag of Russia.svg Russia Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada West Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Brink Bonnyville, Alberta
2019 Flag of Russia.svg Russia Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada East Flag of the United States.svg  United States Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Devon Levi Dawson Creek, British Columbia
2020Tournament cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic. [16] Cornwall, Ontario [17]
2021Tournament cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic. [18] Cornwall, Ontario [19]
2022 Flag of the United States.svg  United States Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada East Flag of Sweden.svg  Sweden Flag of the United States.svg Cole Knuble Cornwall, Ontario
2023 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada West Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada East Flag of the United States.svg  United States Truro, Nova Scotia [20]

All-time team records

All-time team records
RankTeamGPW-L-OTLMedals
1 Flag of the United States.svg United States 4634-5-18 G, 0 S, 3 B
2 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada West 5027-14-35 G, 3 S, 2 B
3 Flag of Russia.svg Russia 4922-19-21 G, 3 S, 4 B
4 Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada East 4820-20-40 G, 5 S, 1 B
5 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland 229-12-10 G, 0 S, 2 B
6 Flag of the Czech Republic.svg Czech Republic 234-12-10 G, 0 S, 0 B
- Flag of Belarus.svg Belarus 174-12-10 G, 0 S, 0 B
8 Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden 123-7-20 G, 0 S, 0 B
9 Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark 43-0-10 G, 1 S, 0 B
10 Flag of Slovakia.svg Slovakia 52-2-10 G, 0 S, 0 B
11 Flag of Germany.svg Germany 122-10-00 G, 0 S, 0 B

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Мировой Кубок Вызова 2009/2010 - Юниорская сборная до 18 лет (webcitation.org)" (in Russian). FHR. Archived from the original on February 12, 2010. Retrieved 4 January 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. ↑ "Мировой Кубок Вызова 2010/11 - Юниорская сборная до 18 лет (webcitation.org)" (in Russian). FHR. Archived from the original on January 8, 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. ↑ "Мировой Кубок Вызова 2011/12 - Юниорская сборная до 18 лет (webcitation.org)" (in Russian). FHR. Archived from the original on January 5, 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. ↑ News
  5. ↑ Home/News
  6. ↑ Home/News
  7. ↑ Home/News
  8. ↑ Home/News
  9. ↑ SIJHL.com - 2008 WJAC in CAMROSE, AB
  10. ↑ "NEWS | Ontario Junior a Hockey League".
  11. ↑ "Unknown".[ permanent dead link ]
  12. ↑ "Saltwire | Nova Scotia".
  13. ↑ "Saltwire | Nova Scotia".
  14. ↑ "Yarmouth, N.s., to Host 2013 World Junior a Challenge". 8 February 2013.
  15. ↑ Truro readies to host 2017 World Junior A Challenge
  16. ↑ "Hockey Canada statement announcing Fall 2020 event rescheduling". Hockey Canada.
  17. ↑ "World Junior A Challenge heads to Cornwall in 2020". Hockey Canada.
  18. ↑ "Hockey Canada statement announcing Fall event cancellations". Hockey Canada. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  19. ↑ "Hockey Canada statement announcing Fall 2020 event rescheduling". Hockey Canada.
  20. ↑ "HOCKEY CANADA CONFIRMS HOSTS FOR SEVEN EVENTS". Hockey Canada. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
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