World Junior A Challenge

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World Junior A Challenge
2023 World Junior A Challenge
World Jr A Logo.png
Sport Ice hockey
Founded 2006
No. of teams
Most recent champion(s) Flag of Canada.svg.png Canada West
Most championship(s) Flag of the United States.svg.png United States (9)
TV partner(s) TSN
Official website World Junior A Challenge
Related competitions World U-17 Hockey 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.

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

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. 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 Gold medal icon.png Silver medal icon.png Bronze medal icon.png MVP Host City
2006 Flag of Canada Canada West Flag of Canada Canada East Flag of Russia Russia Flag of Canada Kyle Turris Yorkton, Saskatchewa] [4][5]
2007 Flag of Canada Canada West Flag of Canada Canada East Flag of United States United States Flag of Canada Mike Connolly Trail, British Columbia [6][7]
2008 Flag of United States United States Flag of Canada Canada West Flag of Canada Canada East Flag of United States Mike Cichy Camrose, Alberta [8]
2009 Flag of United States United States Flag of Canada Canada West Flag of Russia Russia Flag of Canada Sean Bonar Summerside, Prince Edward Island [9]
2010 Flag of United States United States Flag of Canada Canada East Flag of Switzerland Switzerland Flag of United States Scott Mayfield Penticton, British Columbia[10]
2011 Flag of Canada Canada West Flag of Canada Canada East Flag of United States United States Flag of Canada Devin Shore Langley, British Columbia[11]
2012 Flag of United States United States Flag of Canada Canada West Flag of Switzerland Switzerland Flag of United States Vince Hinostroza Yarmouth, Nova Scotia[12]
2013 Flag of the United States.svg.png United States Flag of Russia.svg.png Russia Flag of Canada Canada West Flag of United States Nick Schmaltz Yarmouth, Nova Scotia[13]
2014 Flag of the United States.svg.png United States Flag of Denmark.svg.png Denmark Flag of Russia.svg.png Russia Flag of Denmark Nikolaj Ehlers Kindersley, Saskatchewan
2015 Flag of Canada Canada West Flag of Russia.svg.png Russia Flag of the United States.svg.png United States Flag of Canada Tyson Jost Cobourg & Whitby, Ontario
2016 Flag of the United States.svg.png United States Flag of Canada Canada East Flag of Russia.svg.png Russia Flag of Russia Andrei Svechnikov Bonnyville, Alberta
2017 Flag of Canada Canada West Flag of the United States.svg.png United States Flag of the Czech Republic.svg.png Czech Republic Flag of Canada Zach Rose Truro, Nova Scotia
2018 Flag of the United States.svg.png United States Flag of Russia Russia Flag of Canada Canada West Flag of United States Bobby Brink Bonnyville, Alberta
2019 Flag of Russia Russia Flag of Canada Canada East Flag of the United States.svg.png United States Flag of Canada Devon Levi Dawson Creek, British Columbia
2020 Tournament cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic. Cornwall, Ontario
2021 Tournament cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic. Cornwall, Ontario
2022 Flag of the United States.svg.png United States Flag of Canada Canada East Flag of Sweden.svg.png Sweden Flag of United States Cole Knuble Cornwall, Ontario
2023 Flag of Canada Canada West Flag of Canada Canada East Flag of the United States.svg.png United States Truro, Nova Scotia

All-time team records

All-time team records
Rank Team GP W-L-OTL Medals
1 Flag of United States United States 46 34-5-1 8 G, 0 S, 3 B
2 Flag of Canada Canada West 50 27-14-3 5 G, 3 S, 2 B
3 Flag of Russia Russia 49 22-19-2 0 G, 3 S, 4 B
4 Flag of Canada Canada East 48 20-20-4 0 G, 5 S, 1 B
5 Flag of Switzerland Switzerland 22 9-12-1 0 G, 0 S, 2 B
6 Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic 23 4-12-1 0 G, 0 S, 0 B
- Flag of Belarus Belarus 17 4-12-1 0 G, 0 S, 0 B
8 Flag of Sweden Sweden 12 3-7-2 0 G, 0 S, 0 B
9 Flag of Denmark Denmark 4 3-0-1 0 G, 1 S, 0 B
10 Flag of Slovakia Slovakia 5 2-2-1 0 G, 0 S, 0 B
11 Flag of Germany Germany 12 2-10-0 0 G, 0 S, 0 B

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Мировой Кубок Вызова 2009/2010 - Юниорская сборная до 18 лет (webcitation.org)" (in Russian). FHR. http://www.webcitation.org/64QwrmV7I. Retrieved 4 January 2012. 
  2. ↑ "Мировой Кубок Вызова 2010/11 - Юниорская сборная до 18 лет (webcitation.org)" (in Russian). FHR. http://www.webcitation.org/64QwxUwKP. Retrieved 4 January 2012. 
  3. ↑ "Мировой Кубок Вызова 2011/12 - Юниорская сборная до 18 лет (webcitation.org)" (in Russian). FHR. http://www.webcitation.org/64Qx1TUZO. Retrieved 4 January 2012. 
  4. ↑ Home/News
  5. ↑ Home/News
  6. ↑ Home/News
  7. ↑ Home/News
  8. ↑ SIJHL.com - 2008 WJAC in CAMROSE, AB
  9. ↑ http://www.ojhl.pointstreaksites.com/view/ojhl/news-21/news_2662
  10. ↑ http://www.mjhlhockey.ca/news_item.aspx?news_id=1802
  11. ↑ http://www.thevanguard.ca/Sports/Hockey/2011-05-30/article-2545532/Yarmouth-picked-2012-host-for-world-challenge/1
  12. ↑ http://www.thevanguard.ca/Sports/Hockey/2011-05-30/article-2545532/Yarmouth-picked-2012-host-for-world-challenge/1
  13. ↑ http://thejuniorhockeynews.com/?p=10112

External links

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