World U-17 Hockey Challenge

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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.

World U-17 Hockey Challenge
Most recent season or competition:
2023 World U-17 Hockey Challenge
SportIce hockey
First season1986
Most recent
champion(s)
 Canada White
Most titles Canada Ontario (8)
Sponsor(s)Hockey Canada
Related
competitions
Canadian Junior Hockey League
World Junior A Challenge
Official websiteWorld U-17 Hockey Challenge

Origins

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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, the United States, Sweden, and the Soviet Union. 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.

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.

Current tournament

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The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge has continued to grow over the years to the point where it is perhaps the largest annual event administered under Hockey Canada's own auspices. Although the tournament is not sanctioned by the IIHF, it attracts U17 teams from the United States, Sweden, and Russia on an annual basis and Czech Republic, Finland, and Slovakia on a semi-annual basis.

The tournament is currently held in November of each year.

Participating teams

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

Other participating nations have included:

Results

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Year   Gold   Silver   Bronze Host city (cities)
2024   Sarnia
2023   Canada White   United States   Sweden   Charlottetown and Summerside
2022   United States   Canada Red   Finland   Langley and Delta
2021 Tournament cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic.   Charlottetown and Summerside
2020 Tournament cancelled due to coronavirus pandemic. [1]   Charlottetown and Summerside
2019   Russia   United States   Czech Republic     Medicine Hat and Swift Current
2018   Russia   Finland   Sweden   Saint John and Quispamsis
2017   United States   Canada Red   Czech Republic   Dawson Creek and Fort St. John
2016   Sweden   Canada Black   Russia   Sault Ste. Marie
2015   Canada White   Russia   Sweden   Dawson Creek and Fort St. John
2014 (Nov.)   Russia   United States   Sweden   Sarnia and Lambton Shores
2014 (Jan.)   United States   Canada Pacific   Russia   (Sydney/North Sydney/Port Hawkesbury)
2013   Sweden   Russia   United States   Drummondville and Victoriaville
2012   Russia   United States   Canada Ontario   Windsor
2011[NB 1]   Canada Ontario   United States   Canada Pacific   Winnipeg and 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 Winter 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

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Country   Gold   Silver   Bronze Medals
  Canada Ontario 8 2 3 13
  United States 6 9 2 17
  Russia
  Soviet Union
 
5
1
6
2
1
3
2
1
3
9
3
12
  Canada Quebec 3 2 5 10
  Sweden 2 2 5 9
  Canada West 2 0 1 3
  Canada White 2 0 0 2
  Finland 1 2 2 5
  Canada Pacific 0 6 4 10
  Canada Red 0 2 0 2
  Czech Republic
  Czechoslovakia
 
0
0
0
1
0
1
3
1
4
4
1
5
  Canada Black 0 1 0 1
  Canada Atlantic 0 0 1 1

Medals by Nations (1986-2023)

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RankNationGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1  Canada (CAN)15131442
2  United States (USA)69217
3  Russia (RUS)63312
4  Sweden (SWE)2259
5  Finland (FIN)1225
6  Czech Republic (CZE)0145
Totals (6 entries)30303090

Notable participants

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In bold, players selected first overall in the NHL entry draft

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b 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. ^ a b Split events were held in 1998

References

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  1. ^ "Hockey Canada statement on 2020 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, presented by TELUS". Hockey Canada.
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