It’s the end of an era at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. The 2014 tournament, underway this week in Cape Breton, N.S., will be the final time Canada is represented by five regional teams – Atlantic, Ontario, Pacific, Quebec and West.

Beginning next season, three national teams, comprised of the 66 best under-17 players from across the country, will wear the Maple Leaf at the tournament.

With that in mind, HockeyCanada.ca asked Al Coates, a former general manager of the Calgary Flames and Canada’s National Men’s Team, and a two-time Stanley Cup winner (with Calgary in 1989 and Anaheim in 2007) to select his All-Time Starting Six for each of the five Canadian regions, based on their impact on hockey and contribution to the game.

QUEBEC
GOLD – 3 (1986, 1994, 2006)
SILVER – 2 (1990, 1992)
BRONZE – 5 (1988, 1995, 1997, 1998, 2004)

FORWARDS

Daniel Brière
U17 year and finish: 1994 – gold medal
NHL Entry Draft: Winnipeg Jets, 1996 (1st round, 24th overall)
NHL statistics: 876 GP; 291-378—669
Individual accomplishments: QMJHL All-Rookie Team (1994-95); QMJHL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1994-95); QMJHL Scholastic Player of the Year (1994-95); Jean Béliveau Trophy – QMJHL leading scorer (1995-96); QMJHL Second All-Star Team (1995-96, 1996-97); Frank J. Selke Memorial Trophy – QMJHL most sportsmanlike player (1996-97); AHL All-Rookie Team (1997-98); AHL First All-Star Team (1997-98); AHL Rookie of the Year (1997-98); NHL All-Star Game (2007, 2011); NHL All-Star Game MVP (2007); Buffalo Sabres captain (2004-06)
Team accomplishments: Air Canada Cup (Intrépide de Gatineau – 1994, bronze, Top Forward)
Team Canada experience: La Copa Mexico (summer U18) – 1994 (gold); 1997 IIHF World Junior Championship – 1997 (gold); IIHF World Championship – 2003 (gold), 2004 (gold)

Vincent Lecavalier
U17 year and finish: 1997 – bronze medal
NHL Entry Draft: Tampa Bay Lightning, 1998 (1st round, 1st overall)
NHL statistics: 1,064 GP; 392-497—889
Individual accomplishments: QMJHL All-Rookie Team (1996-97); QMJHL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1996-97); CHL Rookie of the Year (1996-97); QMJHL First All-Star Team (1997-98); CHL First All-Star Team (1997-98); QMJHL Top Draft Prospect (1997-98); NHL Second All-Star Team (2006-07); Rocket Richard Trophy (2006-07); King Clancy Memorial Trophy (2007-08); NHL All-Star Game (2003, 2007, 2008, 2009); Tampa Bay Lightning captain (2000-01, 2008-13)
Team accomplishments: Stanley Cup (Tampa Bay Lightning – 2004)
Team Canada experience: Three Nations Cup (summer U18) – 1997 (gold); IIHF World Junior Championship – 1998 (eighth place); IIHF World Championship – 2001 (fifth place); World Cup of Hockey – 2004 (first place, MVP); Olympic Winter Games – 2006 (seventh place)

Pierre Turgeon
U17 year and finish: 1986 – gold medal
NHL Entry Draft: Buffalo Sabres, 1987 (1st round, 1st overall)
NHL statistics: 1,294 GP; 515-812—1,327
Individual accomplishments: QMJHL Offensive Rookie of the Year (1985-86); Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (1992-93); NHL All-Star Game (1990, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2000); Montreal Canadiens captain (1995-96);
Team accomplishments: none
Team Canada experience: National Men’s Team – 1985-86; IIHF World Junior Championship – 1987 (disqualified)

HONOURABLE MENTION: Alexandre Daigle (1992); Jonathan Huberdeau (2010); Stéphane Matteau (1986); Eric Daze (1992); Pierre-Marc Bouchard (2001); Maxime Talbot (2001)

DEFENCEMEN

Éric Desjardins
U17 year and finish: 1986 – gold medal
NHL Entry Draft: Montreal Canadiens, 1987 (2nd round, 38th overall)
NHL statistics: 1,143 GP; 136-439—575
Individual accomplishments: QMJHL Second All-Star Team (1986-87); QMJHL First All-Star Team (1987-88); QMJHL Defenceman of the Year (1987-88); NHL Second All-Star Team (1998-99, 1999-2000); NHL All-Star Game (1992, 1996, 2000)
Team accomplishments: Stanley Cup (Montreal Canadiens – 1993)
Team Canada experience: IIHF World Junior Championship – 1988 (gold), 1989 (fourth place); 1991 Canada Cup (first place); World Cup of Hockey – 1996 (second place); Olympic Winter Games – 1998 (fourth place)

Kristopher Letang
U17 year and finish: 2004 – bronze medal
NHL Entry Draft: Pittsburgh Penguins, 2005 (3rd round, 62nd overall)
NHL statistics: 409 GP; 50-170—220
Individual accomplishments: QMJHL All-Rookie Team (2004-05); CHL All-Rookie Team (2004-05); QMJHL First All-Star Team (2005-06, 2006-07); CHL Second All-Star Team (2005-06, 2006-07); QMJHL Top Defenceman (2006-07); NHL Second All-Star Team (2012-13); NHL All-Star Game (2011, 2012)
Team accomplishments: Air Canada Cup (Gaulois du Collège Antoine-Girouard – 2003, silver, Top Defenceman); Stanley Cup (Pittsburgh Penguins – 2009)
Team Canada experience: IIHF World Under-18 Championship – 2005 (silver); IIHF World Junior Championship – 2006 (gold), 2007 (gold, captain, Media All-Star Team)

HONOURABLE MENTION: François Beauchemin (1997); Philippe Boucher (1990); Patrice Brisebois (1988); Stéphane Robidas (1994)

GOALTENDER

Roberto Luongo
U17 year and finish: 1995 – bronze medal
NHL Entry Draft: New York Islanders, 1997 (1st round, 4th overall)
NHL statistics: 779 GP; 364-298-92; 2.51 GAA; .919 SV%; 65 SO
Individual accomplishments: QMJHL Top Draft Prospect (1996-97); NHL Second All-Star Team (2003-04, 2006-07); William M. Jennings Trophy (2010-11); NHL All-Star Game (2004, 2007, 2009); Vancouver Canucks captain (2008-10)
Team accomplishments: QMJHL championship (Foreurs de Val’d-Or – 1998, Titan d’Acadie-Bathurst – 1999)
Team Canada experience: IIHF World Junior Championship – 1998 (eighth place), 1999 (silver, Top Goaltender, Media All-Star Team); IIHF World Championship – 2001 (fifth place), 2003 (gold), 2004 (gold), 2005 (silver); World Cup of Hockey – 2004 (first place); Olympic Winter Games – 2006 (seventh place), 2010 (gold)

HONOURABLE MENTION: Marc-André Fleury (2001)