View source for World U-17 Hockey Challenge

{{Infobox Sports league
| title           = World U-17 Hockey Challenge
| current_season  = 2015 World U-17 Hockey Challenge
| logo            = World U17 logo.jpg
| pixels          = 200px
| sport           = Ice hockey
| founded         = 1986
| teams           = 8
| champion        = {{ihj|RUS}}
| most_champs     = {{ihj|CAN}} Ontario (8)
| website         = [http://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/National-Championships/Men/World-U17/ World U-17 Hockey Challenge]
| TV              = 
| sponsor         = [[Hockey Canada]]
| related_comps   = [[World Junior A 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,<ref group=NB name=2011CanGames/> 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 [[IIHF World U18 Championships|U18]] and [[Canadian Junior National Team|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]], [[United States|U.S.A.]], [[Sweden]], and the [[Soviet Union|U.S.S.R.]]  Team Quebec, led by future [[National Hockey League|NHL]] first overall pick Pierre Turgeon captured gold by defeating the Soviets, who featured the likes of Sergei Fedorov and Alexander Mogilny.

Prior to November 2014, the tournament was held from late December through to early January. Originally, Canada would field five teams, selected on a regional basis

== 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 [[IIHF World U18 Championship|World Under-18 Championships]] each April.

The tournament is currently held in November of each year.

== Participating teams ==
Canada enters three teams each year.  Prior to November 2014, Canada entered five regional teams

Other participating nations have included:
Other participating nations have included:
* {{USA}}
* {{FIN}}
* {{RUS}}
* {{SWE}}
* {{SVK}}
* {{CZE}} 
* {{GER}}
* {{USSR}} (now defunct)
* {{TCH}} (now defunct)

==Results==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!width=70|Year
!width=165|Gold
!width=165|Silver
!width=165|Bronze
!wdth=500|Host(s)
|-
| [[2015 World U-17 Hockey Challenge|2015]] 
| {{CAN}} White
| {{RUS}}
| {{SWE}} 
| Dawson Creek and Fort St. John
|-
| [[2014 World U-17 Hockey Challenge (November)|2014 (Nov.)]] 
| {{RUS}}
| {{USA}}
| {{SWE}}
| Sarnia and Lambton Shores
|-
| [[2014 World U-17 Hockey Challenge (January)|2014 (Jan.)]] 
| {{USA}}
| {{CAN}} Pacific
| {{RUS}}
| Cape Breton, (Sydney/North Sydney/Port Hawkesbury)
|-
| [[2013 World U-17 Hockey Challenge|2013]] 
| {{SWE}}
| {{RUS}}
| {{USA}}
| Drummondville, Victoriaville
|-

| [[2012 World U-17 Hockey Challenge|2012]] 
| {{RUS}}
| {{USA}}
| {{CAN}} Ontario
| Windsor
|-
| [[2011 World U-17 Hockey Challenge|2011]] <ref group=NB name=2011CanGames>The [[2011 Canada Winter Games|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.</ref>
| {{CAN}} Ontario
| {{USA}}
| {{CAN}} Pacific
| Winnipeg / Portage La Prairie]
|-
| [[2010 World U-17 Hockey Challenge|2010]]
| {{USA}}
| {{CAN}} Ontario
| {{SWE}}
| Timmins / Iroquois Falls / Cochrane / Kapuskasing / Kirkland Lake / New Liskeard
|-
| [[2009 World U-17 Hockey Challenge|2009]]
| {{CAN}} Ontario
| {{CAN}} Pacific
| {{USA}}
| Campbell River / Courtenay / Duncan / Nanaimo / Parksville / Port Alberni
|-
| [[2008 World U-17 Hockey Challenge|2008]]
| {{CAN}} Ontario
| {{USA}}
| {{CAN}} West
| London / Lucan / St. Thomas / Stratford / Strathroy / Woodstock
|-
| ''2007''
| colspan="4"|The [[2007 Canada Winter Games|ice hockey tournament]] at the 2007 Canada Games was held in place of a 2007 tournament.
|-
| [[2006 World U-17 Hockey Challenge|2006]]
| {{CAN}} Quebec
| {{USA}}
| {{CZE}}
| Balgonie / Fort Qu'Appelle / Indian Head / Milestone / Moose Jaw / Regina / Southey / Weyburn
|-
| [[2005 World U-17 Hockey Challenge|2005]]
| {{CAN}} West
| {{CAN}} Pacific
| {{CAN}} Atlantic
| Lethbridge
|-
| [[2004 World U-17 Hockey Challenge|2004]]
| {{CAN}} Ontario
| {{CAN}} Pacific
| {{CAN}} Quebec
| St. John's
|-
| ''2003''
| colspan="4"|The ice hockey tournament at the [[2003 Canada Winter Games|2003 Canada Games]] was held in place of a 2003 tournament.
|-
| [[2002 World U-17 Hockey Challenge|2002]]
| {{USA}}
| {{CAN}} Pacific
| {{CAN}} Ontario
| Selkirk / Stonewall
|-
| [[2001 World U-17 Hockey Challenge|2001]]
| {{USA}}
| {{CAN}} Pacific
| {{CAN}} Ontario
| New Glasgow / Truro
|-
| [[2000 World U-17 Hockey Challenge|2000]]
| {{RUS}}
| {{CAN}} Ontario
| {{CAN}} Pacific
| Timmins / Chapleau / Cochrane / Haileybury / Hearst / Kapuskasing / Kirkland Lake / New Liskeard / Smooth Rock Falls / Rouyn-Noranda
|-
| ''1999''
| colspan="4"|The [[1999 Canada Winter Games|ice hockey tournament]] at the 1999 Canada Games was held in place of a 1999 tournament.
|-
| [[1998 World U-17 Hockey Challenge II|1998 II]] <ref group=NB name=1998U17/>
| {{CAN}} West
| {{USA}}
| {{FIN}}
| Swift Current
|-
| [[1998 World U-17 Hockey Challenge I|1998 I]] <ref group=NB name=1998U17>Split events were held in 1998</ref>
| {{CAN}} Ontario
| {{CZE}}
| {{CAN}} Quebec
| Kitchener
|-
| [[1997 World U-17 Hockey Challenge|1997]]
| {{CAN}} Ontario
| {{SWE}}
| {{CAN}} Quebec
| Red Deer
|-
| [[1995 World U-17 Hockey Challenge|1995]]
| {{CAN}} Ontario
| {{FIN}}
| {{CAN}} Quebec
| Moncton
|-
| [[1994 World U-17 Hockey Challenge|1994]]
| {{CAN}} Quebec
| {{USA}}
| {{CAN}} Pacific
| Amos
|-
| [[1992 World U-17 Hockey Challenge|1992]]
| {{CAN}} Ontario
| {{CAN}} Quebec
| {{TCH}}
| Sudbury
|-
| ''1991''

| colspan="4"|The [[1991 Canada Winter Games|ice hockey tournament]] at the 1991 Canada Games was held in place of a 1991 tournament.
|-
| [[1990 Quebec Esso Cup|1990]]
| {{FIN}}
| {{CAN}} Quebec
| {{USSR}}
| Quebec City
|-
| [[1988 Quebec Esso Cup|1988]]
| {{USSR}}
| {{SWE}}
| {{CAN}} Quebec
| Quebec City
|-
| [[1986 Quebec Esso Cup|1986]]
| {{CAN}} Quebec
| {{USSR}}
| {{CAN}} Pacific
| Quebec City
|-
|}

=== Medal table ===
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align: center;"
|- bgcolor="#efefef" align=center
!align=left |Country
!style="background-color: #F7F6A8;" |{{goca}} Gold
!style="background-color: #DCE5E5;" |{{sica}} Silver
!style="background-color: #FFDAB9;" |{{brca}} Bronze
!Medals
|- align=center
|align=left|{{ihw|CAN}} Ontario
|8
|2
|3
|13
|- align=center
|align=left|{{ihw|USA}}
|4
|7
|2
|13
|-align=center
|align=left|{{ihj|RUS}}<br>''{{ihj|URS}}''<br>&nbsp;
|{{sort|4|3<br>1<br>'''4'''}}
|{{sort|2|1<br>1<br>'''2'''}}
|{{sort|2|1<br>1<br>'''2'''}}
|{{sort|8|5<br>3<br>'''8'''}}
|- align=center
|align=left|{{ihw|CAN}} Quebec
|3
|2
|5
|10
|- align=center
|align=left|{{ihw|CAN}} West
|2
|0
|1
|3
|- align=center
|align=left|{{ihw|SWE}}
|1
|2
|2
|5
|- align=center
|align=left|{{ihw|FIN}}
|1
|1
|1
|3
|- align=center
|align=left|{{ihw|CAN}} Pacific
|0
|6
|4
|10
|-align=center
|align=left|{{ihj|CZE}}<br>''{{ih|TCH}}''<br>&nbsp;
|{{sort|0|0<br>0<br>'''0'''}}
|{{sort|1|1<br>0<br>'''1'''}}
|{{sort|2|1<br>1<br>'''2'''}}
|{{sort|3|2<br>1<br>'''3'''}}
|- align=center
|align=left|{{ihw|CAN}} Atlantic
|0
|0
|1
|1
|}

==See also==
* [[World Junior A Challenge]]
* [[IIHF World U20 Championship]]
* [[IIHF World U18 Championship]]

== Notes ==
<references group="NB"/>

==External links==
* [http://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/National-Championships/Men/World-U17/ World U-17 Hockey Challenge]

{{Wikipedia}}
[[Category:World U-17 Hockey Challenge| ]]
[[Category:Tournaments]]