The 2024-25 Holiday Break will be a memorable one
For the first time since Jordan Eberle’s heroics in 2009, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Championships will be returning to Ottawa. Hockey Canada announced that the ever-successful holiday tournament will once again be hosted by the nation’s capital in 2024 in a press release on June 22nd.
The World Junior Championship (WJC), as it is known to Canadians, is an annual event on hockey fans’ calendars that kicks off on Boxing Day and continues throughout the holiday break. The event features the best under-20 talent in the world.
Recent first overall selection in the NHL Entry Draft Connor Bedard dominated the event last year and stamped his name in the history books with 23 points in just 7 games. Bedard led a stacked Team Canada to a record 20th gold medal – in just 47 years of tournaments – at a tournament hosted jointly by Halifax and Moncton.
Next year’s tournament will exit Canada for the first time since 2020 and will take place in Gothenburg, Sweden. Ottawa will host the tournament the year after, which will run from December 26th, 2024 to January 5th, 2025.
The 2009 iteration of the tournament was held at the former Civic Centre and Scotiabank Place – which Gee-Gees now know as the Canadian Tire Centre and TD Place – and set a still-standing record for Canadian WJC attendance. This edition will also be held at these major venues, home of the National Hockey League’s Senators and the Ontario Hockey League’s 67’s.
IIHF President Luc Tardif said in the press release that “Ottawa is undoubtedly a city that rallies behind hockey, as we can remember from the exceptional atmosphere during the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship. The World Juniors has a unique place in the calendar as it takes place during the holiday season and is an eagerly awaited event. We look forward to seeing fans from the four corners of Canada and all around the world in Ottawa in December 2024.”
According to Hockey Canada, the 2009 tournament generated over $80.5 million in economic impact for the province of Ontario, and saw total attendance climb over 450,000. Fans will eagerly await the return of the beloved tournament in what could be a farewell party for the Canadian Tire Centre (link to Ottawa sale article). And who knows – we could watch as the next Canadian hero is crowned.
