Hockey Canada has confirmed that Edmonton will host the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup in 2018, 2020 and 2022.
The tournament is owned and produced by the Czech Ice Hockey Association and the Slovak Ice Hockey Federation. It brings together eight of the top hockey nations in the world to compete in a best-on-best men’s under-18 competition.
“Edmonton has become an internationally renowned sports city and centre of excellence. We’re proud to build on this reputation as we host the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup,” Mayor Don Iverson said. “With enthusiastic fans, a state-of-the-art arena and a passion for hockey, Edmonton welcomes the opportunity to showcase our city to the world.”
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Hockey Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team has won the annual event 20 times, with two silver and one bronze medal since 1991.
Named after Hlinka, the tournament honours the NHL player and coach, who is considered to be one of the most important figures in Czech hockey history.
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The cup is traditionally held in August, which allows for all of the participating nations and NHL scouts to attend. The expected regional economic impact of hosting in Edmonton could top $5 million based on the results from hosting similar events of this size and scope. Proceeds from all three cups held in Edmonton will be re-invested in grassroots hockey in Alberta.
“This is a significant event for Hockey Canada in terms of our players’ progression through the Program of Excellence, and the identification of Canada’s National Junior Team prospects,” Tom Renney, president and chief executive officer of Hockey Canada said.
“Just as importantly, the opportunity to host this world-class event on Canadian soil speaks to our relationship with our counterparts in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, as well as the reputation our country has built for successfully hosting international hockey events.”
Details on event dates and tickets will be announced at a later date.
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