Affiliate Sites expand
Hockey Canada logo

International Entries and Game Schedule Announced for The 2006 World Junior A Challenge in Saskatchewan This November

NR.086.06
|
June 05, 2006

CALGARY, AB – The first ever World Junior A Challenge will be held in Yorkton and Humboldt, SK from November 6-12, 2006, and on Monday, the four international entries for the 2006 World Junior A Challenge and the game schedule were announced by Hockey Canada, in collaboration with the CJAHL (Canadian Junior A Hockey League).

The four countries confirmed to compete are: Belarus, Germany, Russia and Slovakia. The 2006 World Junior A Challenge schedule consists of 13 games, featuring six teams divided into two pools. Pool A will include Canada West, Russia and Belarus, while Pool B will have Canada East, Slovakia and Germany. The event’s games will be held in Yorkton and Humboldt, two Saskatchewan communities with a longstanding Junior A hockey tradition.

Hockey Canada and the CJAHL are introducing this event in 2006-07 in Saskatchewan. The World Junior A Challenge is planned to be an annual event that will expose additional top Canadian junior-aged players to international competition.

“The World Junior A Challenge is going to be a big step forward for Junior A hockey in this country,” said Paul Lake, President of the CJAHL. “This will give us all an opportunity to gauge where the Canadian Junior A Hockey League (CJAHL) is at, as it relates to developing high performance hockey players. It is also a special treat for the fans as they will see some of the best Junior A hockey talent from around the world. The entire CJAHL is very excited, and we are delighted to be able to host several components of the event in various markets of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The city of Yorkton has proven to be a great hockey market, and their host committee has done a marvelous job of setting up this international event.”

"The Yorkton host committee is very pleased with the response to ticket package sales, and we look forward to even stronger sales prior to the summer holidays,” said Host Committee Co-Chairman Dick DeRyk. “With the teams in place and the schedule set, we know that Yorkton and Saskatchewan hockey fans will want to take in the games in both Yorkton and Humboldt, as Canadian and European Junior A teams face each other in tournament play for the first time ever.”

“At Hockey Canada, we are very excited about having the World Junior A Challenge as part of our exciting 2006-07 season,” said Scott Smith, Hockey Canada’s Senior Vice-President, Business Operations. “This will be a great opportunity to showcase the talent from the CJAHL against some top junior aged players from around the World.”

The two regional Canadian teams (East, West) will be comprised of the top junior aged players in the CJAHL. The CJAHL will oversee the selection process for both Canadian teams (Canada West and Canada East), including coaching and support staffs and player selection. The teams will bring together top players from the ten leagues that make up the CJAHL (www.cjahl.com).

WORLD JUNIOR A CHALLENGE TICKET INFORMATION

Ticket packages for the 2006 World Junior A Challenge are now on sale for all games at the Gallagher Centre in Yorkton, by phone at 306-783-3909 during regular business hours.

Ticket packages for Yorkton are $99 (plus GST) for eight games: four round robin games, two semi-final games, and the medal games. Yorkton Terrier (SJHL) season ticket holders have until June 10 to reserve their seats; after that all remaining seats will be available on a reserved-seat basis. Seats for individual games will only be available 48 hours prior to the start of the tournament. Ticket and accommodation packages for the weekend games (semi finals and medal games) will be announced in September.

Ticket packages for the four Humboldt round robin games will go on sale in August at the Humboldt Broncos office. Humboldt packages are $55 (GST included) for the four round robin games to be played at the Elgar Petersen Arena.

For more information:

Esther Madziya
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 284-6484 

[email protected] 

Spencer Sharkey
Manager, Communications
Hockey Canada

(403) 777-4567

[email protected]

Jeremy Knight
Manager, Corporate Communications
Hockey Canada

(647) 251-9738

[email protected]

Videos
Photos
play_logo
Esso: Top 5 Plays — Tuesday, April 23
play_logo
Northern Selects (ATL) vs. Edmonton Jr. Oilers (PAC) | Esso Cup
play_logo
North York Storm (ONT) vs. L'Intrépide de l'Outaouais (QUE) | Esso Cup
play_logo
Regina Rebels (WST) vs. Thompson-Okanagan Lakers (HST) | Esso Cup
play_logo
Kensington Wild (ATL) vs. Brandon Wheat Kings (WST) | TELUS Cup
play_logo
Calgary Buffaloes (PAC) vs. Markham Waxers (CEN) | TELUS Cup
play_logo
Sydney Rush (HST) vs. Cantonniers de Magog (QUE) | TELUS Cup
play_logo
Esso: Top 5 Plays — Monday, April 22
play_logo
Regina Rebels (WST) vs. Edmonton Jr. Oilers (PAC) | Esso Cup
play_logo
Brandon Wheat Kings (WST) vs. Sydney Rush (HST) | TELUS Cup
play_logo
Thompson-Okanagan Lakers (HST) vs. North York Storm (ONT) | Esso Cup
play_logo
L'Intrépide de l'Outaouais (QUE) vs. Northern Selects (ATL) | Esso Cup
Schedule
HC Logo
Vernon, BC
Date: Apr 21 to 27
HC Logo
Membertou, NS
Date: Apr 22 to 28
HC Logo
Espoo & Vantaa, Finland
Date: Apr 25 to May 5
HC Logo
Calgary, AB, Canada
Date: May 5 to 12
HC Logo
Oakville, ON
Date: May 9 to 19
HC Logo
Prague & Ostrava, Czechia
Date: May 10 to 26