When Tao Flory found out he made the Canada West roster for the 2025 Junior A World Challenge, it was an emotional moment.

The defenceman was initially disappointed, thinking he could have done more during the lead-up to the roster announcement. But soon afterwards, Melfort Mustangs head coach—Trevor Blevins—who is also serving as Canada West bench boss this year—gave Flory the good news.

“He’s like, ‘You made it, Flory!’ and just gave me a big hug. It was the happiest moment ever,” Flory says. “I called my parents after; we shared a great moment. It was awesome.”

Born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Flory’s family was a huge influence on his hockey journey. His grandfather was on the Hockey Regina board of directors for many years, and his dad was often behind the bench for Flory’s teams.

“My grandpa was the main reason why I started playing hockey, and still is the reason I play hockey to this day,” Flory explains. “Being at the rink with all my buddies and especially my dad being the coach on some teams, it was awesome. The involvement he had with my youth hockey was amazing.”

Tao with his dad, Joel.

But hockey is not the only sport his family is passionate about. Hockey and football go hand-in-hand for the Florys. Many of his extended family members are multi-sport athletes who grew up on the ice and later took to the field.

While Flory’s experience with Canada West has taken him to Trois-Rivières, Quebec, he’s not the first member of his family to play sports at a high-level in La Belle Province. His uncle, Scott Flory, spent 15 seasons as an offensive linesman for the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes and was inducted into the Canadian Football Hall of Fame in 2018.

“I’m super proud and happy for the kid,” Scott says. “Opportunities like these, they don’t come around every day.”

There are certainly some similarities between hockey and football. For example, an offensive line helps to protect its quarterback, just as defencemen help to protect their goalie and the crease. Being a multi-sport athlete is something Scott places importance on in recruitment as head coach for the football team at the University of Saskatchewan.

“I ask guys about playing hockey, about playing basketball, because I really think it’s important,” he says. “I think it only makes you a better athlete because the crossover and transferable skills are there.”

For Flory, his uncle’s career in football has served as inspiration for what he can accomplish himself on the ice.

“He’s got a room full of his accomplishments at his house. It’s the coolest thing to know my uncle is a Hall of Famer. The motivation he’s given me not only from talking, but [seeing the accomplishments in his house] is motivation,” Flory says. “He’s an amazing man to learn from.”

Tao with his aunt Tasha and uncle Scott.

The Junior A World Challenge is just the latest achievement for Flory in the past few years. As a 16- year-old, he competed in the 2024 Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons, with the Mustangs, falling 1-0 to the Collingwood Blues in a close national final. Melfort defended its Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League title and returned to the Centennial Cup last spring, battling all the way back to the championship game before ultimately falling 7-2 to the host Calgary Canucks.

His experience at a pair of National Junior A Championships provided an added layer of preparation for the Junior A World Challenge.

“Scheduling-wise, it’s a lot of games compacted in a short amount of time. But I think just being with Hockey Canada reps, it’s helped me along the way. It’s prepared me to be more focused on the games rather than all the stuff happening behind the scenes,” Flory says.

Having a familiar face at the rink with Blevins behind the bench is bonus, too.

“I think it’s brought a lot of comfort to me, not only being outside the rink, but definitely on-ice play,” Flory says. “The systems he brought from our team is almost the same as the ones we play here.”

With a few championship rings and medals already in his collection, Flory hopes Canada West’s performance in Trois-Rivières will give him another chance to play for a gold medal. The tournament has helped him build connections with players across Western Canada and the group has grown close—even playing cards for up to three hours at a time.

Looking ahead to the future, Flory is hoping to take his hockey career into his next chapter while aspiring to study business and become a real estate agent.

“I would love to go play university hockey; that’s a goal of mine. Get my education and then hopefully get a great job out of that,” Flory says. “Maybe if there’s a chance to go pro—obviously every kid dreams of that.”

No matter what lies ahead for Flory, he has a supportive family behind him.

“I know he’s got the work ethic and the desire to achieve his dreams,” Scott says.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has unveiled the 44 players from across the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) who will wear the Maple Leaf with Canada East and Canada West at the 2025 Junior A World Challenge, set for Dec. 7-13 in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.

The 22 players representing Canada East were selected from the CJHL’s five eastern leagues - the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL), Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), Ligue de hockey junior AAA du Québec (LHJAAAQ) and Maritime Junior Hockey League (MHL).

The 22 players representing Canada West come from the CJHL’s four western leagues - the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL).

“We are thrilled to unveil 44 of the top Junior A players from across the Canadian Junior Hockey League that will represent Canada at the Junior A Challenge in Trois-Rivières,” said Kurt Keats (Winnipeg, MB), manager of hockey operations with Hockey Canada. “We believe we have assembled two strong teams, and we know all 44 players, as well as the coaching and support staffs of both teams, are excited to wear the Maple Leaf next month in Québec.”

Hockey Canada has also announced the support staff that will work with Canada East and Canada West at the event – equipment manager Stéphane Gauthier (Lasalle, QC/Longueuil, LHJAAAQ) and athletic therapists Kamille Thivierge (Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, QC/Valleyfield, LHJAAAQ) and Jenn Vaicunas (Newmarket, ON/Aurora, OJHL) have been named to the Canada East staff, while equipment manager Jason Savill (Leduc, AB/Flin Flon, SJHL) and athletic therapists Logan Blackmore (Calgary, AB/Calgary, AJHL) and Emma Galloway (Trenton, ON/Nipawin, SJHL) will work with Canada West.

"We'd like to extend our congratulations to the players selected to represent Canada East and Canada West at next month's Junior A World Challenge," said CJHL president Andy Harkness. "They are to be commended for earning the opportunity to compete on the ice for their country at the international level, and at such a prestigious event.”

The 2025 Junior A World Challenge gets underway at Colisée Vidéotron on Dec. 7 when Canada East opens the tournament against the United States at 3 p.m. ET, followed by 2024 bronze medallist Canada West taking on Sweden at 7 p.m. ET. The tournament concludes with the medal games on Dec. 13.

Prior to the start of the tournament, Canada East and Canada West will face-off in pre-tournament action on Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. ET at Colisée Vidéotron. Canada East will also take on Sweden on Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. ET at Colisée Jean-Béliveau in Longueuil, Québec, while Canada West will play the United States on Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. ET at Aréna de Montmagny in Montmagny, Québec.

Fans looking to secure their seats can purchase a variety of ticket options at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets, including a full-event ticket packages for as low as $145 or individual-game tickets starting at $20 per game.

All tournament games will be available via livestream on HNLive.ca, while the gold medal game will also be available on TSN+.

Of the 17 gold medal games at the Junior A World Challenge, 13 have featured at least one Canadian team. Canada East will look to earn its first gold medal, having won silver eight times (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2023) and bronze once (2008), while Canada West has won gold six times (2006, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2023), silver three times (2008, 2009, 2012) and bronze three times (2013, 2018, 2024).

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2025 Junior A World Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), has announced the coaching staffs that will lead Canada East and Canada West at the 2025 Junior A World Challenge, set for Dec. 7-13 at Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières, Québec.

Bruce Richardson (Pincourt, QC/Valleyfield, LHJAAAQ) returns for the second-consecutive year as head coach of Canada East, working with associate coach Billy McGuigan (Summerside, PE/Summerside, MHL), assistant coach Andrew Campoli (Oak Ridges, ON/Collingwood, OJHL) and video coach Mike Stinziani (Terrebonne, QC/Rangers de Montréal, LHJAAAQ). Trevor Blevins (Melfort, SK/Melfort, SJHL) will make his international coaching debut as head coach of Canada West, alongside assistant coaches Éric Labrosse (Wawa, ON/Lloydminster, AJHL) and Josh Gratton (Brantford, ON/Winnipeg Blues, MJHL), and video coach Carter Hansen (Craven, SK/Humboldt, SJHL).

“We are excited to announce two experienced coaching staffs that will lead Canada East and Canada West at the 2025 Junior A World Challenge in December,” said Mitchell Furlotte (Bathurst, NB), manager of hockey operations. “Both coaching staffs bring a wealth of experience across the CJHL and internationally, and we know Bruce and Trevor, along with their respective staffs, will create environments that will allow the teams to perform at their best as they compete for gold in Trois-Rivières.”

Richardson is in his second season as general manager and head coach of the Valleyfield Braves of the Ligue de hockey junior AAA du Québec (LHJAAAQ) after taking over as head coach in 2023-24. Last season, he won the Trophée Jean-Hébert as LHJAAAQ general manager of the year while also earning coach of the year honours. He previously served as head coach of the Victoriaville Tigres (2014-16) and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (2018-23) of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL). Internationally, he won a gold medal as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship and added a bronze medal in 2023. He was also an assistant coach at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games, and served as head coach of Canada White at the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and as an assistant with Canada Black at the tournament in November 2014.

Blevins has served as the head coach of the Melfort Mustangs of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) for 13 seasons (2013-25), adding the title of general manager in 2020. He earned the Darcy Haugan/Mark Cross Memorial Award as CJHL coach of the year in 2024-25 after leading Melfort to a 46-win season and the best record in the SJHL (46-8-0-2). Blevins has led the Mustangs to four SJHL championships (2015, 2016, 2024, 2025) and three appearances at the Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons (2015, 2024, 2025), reaching the championship game in 2024 and 2025. 

Hockey Canada and the CJHL have also announced that Justin Blackmore (Miramichi, NB/Miramichi, MHL) will serve as director of operations for Canada East, while Mike McAulay (La Salle, MB/Niverville, MJHL) will serve as director of operations for Canada West.

"We extend our utmost recognition to those who have earned the opportunity to represent Canada on the respective coaching staffs and director of operations roles at this year's Junior A World Challenge in Trois-Rivières," said CJHL president Andy Harkness. "It is a well-deserved honour to have a pivotal part in such a prestigious event." 

Full-event ticket packages are on sale now and can be purchased for as low as $145 (including fees) at HockeyCanada.ca/WJAC. A full-event package includes one ticket to all 10 tournament games, including the medal games.

Prior to the start of the tournament, Canada East and Canada West will face-off in pre-tournament action on Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. ET at Colisée Vidéotron in Trois-Rivières. Canada East will also take on Sweden on Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. ET at Colisée Jean-Béliveau in Longueuil, Québec, while Canada West will play the United States on Dec. 5 at 7 p.m. ET at Aréna de Montmagny in Montmagny, Québec.

All tournament games will be available via livestream on HNLive.ca, while the gold medal game will also be available on TSN+. 

Of the 17 gold medal games at the Junior A World Challenge, 13 have featured at least one Canadian team. Canada East will look to earn its first gold medal, having won silver eight times (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2023) and bronze once (2008), while Canada West has won gold six times (2006, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2023), silver three times (2008, 2009, 2012) and bronze three times (2013, 2018, 2024).

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2025 Junior A World Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has unveiled the schedules and ticket package details for the 2025 editions of the U17 World Challenge, U18 Women’s National Championship, Para Cup and Junior A World Challenge.

“We are excited to unveil the schedules for our four fall events that will happen across Canada in November and December, and to provide an opportunity for fans to secure their tickets to watch some of the top players compete in incredible communities,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact for Hockey Canada. “These are exciting events for participants and fans alike, and we are grateful for the commitment of our host committees, volunteers, community leaders and Members who help us create world-class experiences for everyone involved.”

The U17 World Challenge returns to Nova Scotia for the first time since 2014, with Truro set to host at the 2,500-seat Rath Eastlink Community Centre from Nov. 2-8. Six teams – Canada Red, Canada White, Czechia, Finland, Sweden and the United States – will be split into two groups and will each play two preliminary-round games before the medal round. The event will also feature pre-tournament games in Truro, Amherst and Wolfville on Oct. 31.

For the first time in tournament history, the U18 Women’s National Championship will be held in Newfoundland and Labrador. Eight teams consisting of the top under-18 players in Canada – Alberta, Atlantic, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario Blue, Ontario Red, Quebec and Saskatchewan – will compete for gold at Glacier Arena in Mount Pearl and CBS Arena in Conception Bay South from Nov. 2-8.

The Para Cup is set to return to British Columbia for the first time since the inaugural event in 2007, with Dawson Creek hosting at the 4,500-seat Ovintiv Event Centre from Nov. 30-Dec. 6. Canada’s National Para Hockey Team will take on China, Czechia and the United States as it looks to secure its first gold medal at the event since 2013.

The Junior A World Challenge will head to Quebec for the first time when Trois-Rivières plays host at the 4,390-seat Colisée Vidéotron, set for Dec. 7-13. The four-team tournament will feature Canada East, Canada West, Sweden and the United States, with each team playing three preliminary-round games before the tournament wraps up with the bronze and gold medal games on Dec. 13. The event will also feature pre-tournament games, with matchups and locations to be announced in the coming weeks.

Full-event ticket packages for the U17 World Challenge, U18 Women’s National Championship, Para Cup and Junior A World Challenge are on sale now and can be purchased at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets.

Hockey Canada and the local organizing committees of the 2025 Para Cup and 2025 Junior A World Challenge are currently looking to fill volunteer positions for both events. Individuals that are interested in creating a world-class experience for players and fans alike are encouraged to CLICK HERE to learn more about Hockey Canada’s volunteer program or visit the individual event pages to apply now.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will air select tournament games, with broadcast details to be announced at a later date. Tournament games not being broadcast by TSN and RDS will be available via livestream.

For more information on Hockey Canada, please visit HockeyCanada.ca, or follow along through social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada and its Member partners – Hockey Nova Scotia, Hockey Newfoundland and Labrador, and Hockey Quebec - have announced the host communities and tournament dates for two of its international events – the 2025 U17 World Challenge and 2025 Junior A World Challenge, along with the U18 Women’s National Championship.  

“Hockey Canada takes great pride in welcoming premier hockey events and hockey talent to communities across the country,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact with Hockey Canada. “From sponsors to volunteers, communities over the years have proven to be excellent hosts, ensuring lasting memories and legacy for all participants.”

The U17 World Challenge will return to Nova Scotia for a third time (and first since January 2014) when Truro plays host from Oct. 31-Nov. 8. The tournament is the first step in Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence and includes two Canadian teams and four international entries.

The U18 Women’s National Championship will be hosted in Newfoundland and Labrador for the first time when the City of Mount Pearl and Town of Conception Bay South welcome eight provincial and regional teams – Alberta, Atlantic, B.C., Manitoba, Ontario Blue, Ontario Red, Quebec and Saskatchewan – to compete for a national championship from Nov. 3-9.

The Junior A World Challenge will be hosted in Quebec for the first time, Dec. 7-13 in Trois-Rivières. An international showcase of some of the best young hockey talent, more than 300 NHL draft picks have played at the tournament since 2006, including 45 first-round draft picks.

Fans can stay up to date on schedules, ticket information and other promotions by signing up to become a Hockey Canada Insider.

For more information on Hockey Canada please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CAMROSE, Alberta – Canada West earned its first win of the 2024 Junior A World Challenge on Sunday afternoon, a 5-2 victory over Canada East to win the bronze medal at the Camrose Recreation Centre. It is the third bronze and 12th medal overall for Canada West in tournament history.

“The guys grinded even though they could have quit, but they didn’t and that speaks to their character,” said Canada West head coach Mike Reagan (Flin Flon, MB/Flin Flon, MJHL). “A lot of people will look at the round-robin and wonder what happened, but at the end of the day I thought our guys played a heck of a game in the semifinal. The score (a 6-0 loss to Sweden) wasn’t indicative of the game, and today we showed up with our best effort. It just goes to show that if you stick with something, you can be rewarded. I’m extremely proud the guys and our staff.”

Canada West opened the scoring seven minutes into the first period when Ellis Mieyette (Lumsden, SK/Drumheller, AJHL) beat Canada East goaltender Noah Tegelaar (Georgetown, ON/Collingwood, OJHL).

East would tie the game on a goal from Parker Forlin (Niagara Falls, ON/Niagara Falls, OJHL) at 7:07 of the second period before Koen Senft (Regina, SK/Flin Flon, SJHL) scored twice in just over five minutes for a two-goal Canada West lead after 40 minutes.

Jack Plandowski (Halifax, NS/Calgary, AJHL) and Garrett Thom (Edmonton, AB/Camrose, AJHL) added third-period goals for West – sandwiched around an East marker from Cameron Menard (Carp, ON/Espanola, NOJHL) - to round out the scoring.

“It’s a great feeling even though we didn’t have the first couple of games that we wanted,” said Senft. “In the end, we came together; today we put together a full 60 minutes and it’s a great feeling in the room right now. We just knew that if we won today, it would erase the results of the week. We just had to simplify our game and stick with it.”

Canada East fell 3-2 to the United States in a hard-fought Saturday semifinalto set up Sunday’s all-Canadian bronze medal game.

“I think we just had no more gas left in the tank,” said Canada East head coach Bruce Richardson (Pincourt, QC/Valleyfield, LHJAAAQ). We gave it all yesterday; our mindset was all about fighting for a gold medal. We came up short in that goal and we had nothing left for today. The guys tried today, but their emotions were still down a bit from yesterday. I’m still proud of how they competed today and all week.”

A full game summary is available HERE.

In Sunday night’s gold medal game, the United States captured its 10th gold medal with a 7-4 win over Sweden. Will Zellers led the Americans with a pair of goals, while Lucas Van Vliet and Luke Osburn chipped in with a goal and an assist apiece. The U.S. now has 16 medals (10 gold, one silver, five bronze) at the Junior A World Challenge.

Following the game, the tournament all-star team was announced.

Goaltender: Caleb Heil (United States)

Defence: Zachary Deleau (Canada East)

Defence: Jacob Rombach (United States)

Forward: Eric Nilson (Sweden)

Forward: Ivar Stenberg (Sweden)

Forward: Lucas Van Vliet (United States)

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2024 Junior A World Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca/WJAC, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has named the 44 players from across the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) who will wear the Maple Leaf with Canada East and Canada West at the 2024 Junior A World Challenge, set for Dec. 9-15 in Camrose, Alberta.

Both teams were chosen following a three-day selection camp in Calgary that wrapped up Thursday.

The 22 players representing Canada East were selected from the CJHL’s five eastern leagues - the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL), Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), Ligue de hockey junior AAA du Québec (LHJAAAQ) and Maritime Hockey League (MHL). 

The 22 players representing Canada West come from the CJHL’s four western leagues - the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL).

“Anytime there is an opportunity to bring together the best Junior A players from across the Canadian Junior Hockey League, we know difficult decisions will have to be made,” said Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations. “We feel we have assembled two strong and competitive teams that will proudly represent Canada and compete for a gold medal.”

The communities of Drumheller and Wetaskiwin will host pre-tournament games on Dec. 7. Canada East will face off against Sweden at the Drumheller Memorial Arena at 3 p.m. MT, while Canada West will play the United States at 4:30 p.m. MT at Co-Op Place in Wetaskiwin.

The puck drops on the tournament at Encana Arena on Dec. 9 when Canada East, the 2023 silver medallist, opens against the United States at 3 p.m. MT, followed by Canada West, the defending gold medallist, facing Sweden at 7:30 p.m. MT.

Fans still looking to secure their seat for the 2024 Junior A World Challenge can purchase full-event ticket packages for $140, including fees, at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets. The package includes one ticket to all six preliminary-round games, both semifinals and the medal games. Mini-packages for the preliminary round and medal round are also available.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the bronze medal and gold medal games; check local listings for details.

All preliminary-round games and both semifinals will be available via Hockey Canada’s livestreaming partner at HNLive.ca.

Of the 16 gold medal games at the Junior A World Challenge, 13 have featured at least one Canadian team. Canada East will look to earn its first gold medal, having won silver eight times (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2023) and bronze once (2008), while Canada West has won gold six times (2006, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2023), silver three times (2008, 2009, 2012) and bronze twice (2013, 2018).

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2024 Junior A World Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca/WJAC, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada has announced the 60 players from the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) who have earned invitations to Canada East and Canada West selection camp in advance of the 2024 Junior A World Challenge.

Beginning Dec.3, the invitees will gather in Calgary to participate in practices and play a pair of intrasquad games as part of the final evaluation process by management and coaching staffs.

The final East and West rosters will be named Dec. 5 in advance of the tournament, which runs from Dec. 9-15 in Camrose, Alberta.

The Canada East roster will be selected from the CJHL’s five eastern leagues: the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL), Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), Ligue de hockey junior AAA du Québec (LHJAAAQ) and Maritime Hockey League (MHL). Canada West will include players from the four western leagues: the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL).

“This is the first time since 2022 we are taking the opportunity to hold a camp before naming our teams for the Junior A World Challenge,” said Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations. “In partnership with the CJHL, we have identified the top 60 Junior A players in the country. We expect a competitive three days before we narrow our rosters down to the two teams that will proudly represent Canada in Camrose.”

Ahead of the tournament, the Canadian teams will play a pair of pre-tournament games on Dec. 7. Canada East will face off against Sweden at the Drumheller Memorial Arena at 3 p.m. MT, while Canada West will play the United States at 4:30 p.m. MT at Co-Op Place in Wetaskiwin.

The puck drops on the tournament Dec. 9 when Canada East, the 2023 silver medallist, opens against the United States at 3 p.m. MT, followed by Canada West, the defending gold medallist, facing Sweden at 7:30 p.m. MT.

Of the 16 gold medal games at the Junior A World Challenge, 13 have featured at least one Canadian team. Canada East will look to earn its first gold medal, having won silver eight times (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2023) and bronze once (2008), while Canada West has won gold six times (2006, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2023), silver three times (2008, 2009, 2012) and bronze twice (2013, 2018).

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2024 Junior A World Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca/WJAC, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CALGARY, Alberta – Hockey Canada, in consultation with the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), has announced the eight coaches tasked to lead Canada East and Canada West at the 2024 Junior A World Challenge, Dec. 9-15 in Camrose, Alberta.

Bruce Richardson (Montreal, QC/Valleyfield, LHJAAAQ) will lead Canada East as head coach, alongside assistants Andrew Campoli (Toronto, ON/Collingwood, OJHL) and Brandon Perry (Timmins, ON/Timmins, NOJHL), and video coach Mike Stinziani (Lorraine, QC/Montreal, LHJAAAQ). Mike Reagan (Flin Flon, MB/Flin Flon, SJHL) will retake the reins of Canada West, working with assistants Éric Labrosse (Wawa, ON/Northern Manitoba/MJHL) and Shawn Martin (Wainwright, AB/Whitecourt, AJHL), and video coach Carter Hansen (Craven, SK/Humboldt, SJHL).

Richardson assumed the role of general manager with the Valleyfield Braves in August, having served as head coach since January. He previously served as head coach of the Victoriaville Tigres (2014-16) and Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (2018-23) of the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League. Internationally, he won a gold medal as an assistant coach with Canada’s National Men’s Under-18 Team at the 2024 IIHF U18 World Championship and added a bronze medal in 2023. He was also an assistant coach at the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games. Richardson was head coach of Canada White at the 2022 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and served as an assistant coach with Canada Black at the tournament in November 2014.

Reagan is in his 19th season behind the bench as head coach for the Flin Flon Bombers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL), winning SJHL and CJHL coach of the year honours in 2023-24. Since 2013, he has also served as general manager. This will be Reagan’s fourth time representing Canada West at the Junior A World Challenge (2015, 2016, 2017), having won a gold medal as video coach in 2015 and head coach in 2017.

Hockey Canada also announced that Marc Gagnon (Powassan, ON/Espanola, NOJHL) will serve as director of operations for Canada East, while Nigel Dube (Lampman, SK/Lloydminster, AJHL) will return to the role for Canada West after helping win a gold medal in 2023.

“We are thrilled with the coaches that will lead our Canadian teams at the 2024 Junior A World Challenge,” said Scott Salmond, senior vice-president of high performance and hockey operations. “Each of them is highly skilled and bring their own experience to their roles. We look forward to watching them put two competitive teams on the ice in Camrose in December.”

“We congratulate the coaches on their selections to the respective staffs of Canada East and Canada West,” said CJHL president Andy Harkness. “The opportunity to represent your country at a prestigious international hockey event such as the Junior A World Challenge is something they will truly relish.”

Fans looking to secure their seat to watch the Junior A World Challenge can choose from a variety of ticket options at HockeyCanada.ca/WJAC, with full-event ticket packages starting at $140, including fees. Mini-packages for the preliminary round and medal round are also available.

The tournament features a four-team format, with Sweden and the United States joining the Canadian entries.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the bronze and gold medal games; check local listings for details.

Of the 16 gold medal games at the Junior A World Challenge, 13 have featured at least one Canadian team. Canada East will look to earn its first gold medal, having won silver eight times (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2023) and bronze once (2008), while Canada West has won gold six times (2006, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2023), silver three times (2008, 2009, 2012) and bronze twice (2013, 2018).

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2024 Junior A World Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.

CAMROSE, Alberta – Hockey Canada, in partnership with the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), Hockey Alberta, NHL Central Scouting and the local organizing committee, has announced the tournament format and schedule for the 2024 Junior A World Challenge.

The tournament, set for Dec. 9-15 at Encana Arena in Camrose, Alberta, will feature a four-team format this season. Canada East, Canada West, Sweden and the United States will each play three preliminary-round games over the first four days of tournament action to determine seeding for the semifinals on Dec. 14, while the bronze medal and gold medal games are set for at 1 p.m. MT and 5 p.m. MT, respectively, on Dec. 15.

Canada East, which claimed silver in 2023, will kick off the tournament against the United States on Dec. 9 at 3 p.m. MT, followed by last year’s gold medalist, Canada West, matching up against Sweden to close out opening day at 7:30 p.m. MT.

In addition, two Alberta communities will welcome pre-tournament games ahead of the 2024 Junior A World Challenge, with Drumheller and Wetaskiwin set to play host on Dec. 7. Canada East will face off against Sweden at the Drumheller Memorial Arena at 3 p.m. MT, while Canada West will play the United States at 4:30 p.m. MT at Co-Op Place in Wetaskiwin.

“Top talent from Canada, Sweden and the United States is set to descend on Camrose in December, and we are thrilled to unveil the schedule for the Junior A World Challenge and continue to generate excitement among hockey fans, volunteers, partners and the community alike,” said Dean McIntosh, senior vice-president of revenue, fan experience and community impact with Hockey Canada. “We look forward to leaving a lasting legacy in Camrose, Drumheller and Wetaskiwin, and we know fans in those three communities are going to be treated to exciting, high-quality hockey in just over two months.”

Canada East will consist of players from the five eastern leagues in the CJHL - the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL), Ontario Junior Hockey League (OJHL), Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL), Ligue de hockey junior AAA du Québec (LHJAAAQ) and Maritime Hockey League (MHL) – while Canada West will be comprised of players from the four western leagues – the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL), Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League (SJHL) and Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL).

Fans looking to secure their seat for the 2024 Junior A World Challenge can purchase a full-event ticket packages for $140, including fees, at HockeyCanada.ca/Tickets. The package includes one ticket to all six preliminary-round games, both semifinals and the medal games.

TSN and RDS, the official broadcast partners of Hockey Canada, will broadcast the gold medal game on Dec. 15; please check local listings for details.

Of the 16 gold medal games at the Junior A World Challenge, 13 have featured at least one Canadian team. Canada East will look to earn its first gold medal, having won silver eight times (2006, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2016, 2019, 2022, 2023) and bronze once (2008), while Canada West has won gold six times (2006, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2023), silver three times (2008, 2009, 2012) and bronze twice (2013, 2018).

For more information on Hockey Canada and the 2024 Junior A World Challenge, please visit HockeyCanada.ca/WJAC, or follow along via social media on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.