Ottawa to host 2025 World Junior Hockey Championship
The IIHF and Hockey Canada have announced that Ottawa will host the 2025 World Junior Hockey Championship.
Ottawa last hosted the tournament back in 2009, with Canada winning its fifth consecutive gold medal. The tournament is most known for Jordan Eberle’s game-tying and game-winning goals against Russia in the semifinals, with clips of those moments still be shown each December.
The tournament will run in its usual dates from Dec. 26, 2024 until Jan. 5, 2025 at the Canadian Tire Centre and TD Place.
Hockey Canada said women’s national team player Jamie Lee Rattray will be the honorary chair for the host committee. James Boyd, Erin Crowe, Valerie Hughes, Krista Outhwaite and former Senators defenseman Chris Phillips will act as co-chairs.
Canada will host the tournament for the 19th time. They typically host the tournament every other year, but they have hosted the past three years, including Edmonton in 2021 and 2022, and Halifax and Moncton last winter. Gothenburg, Sweden is set to host the event in 2024.
“The bid that was submitted to host the World Juniors in Ottawa was exceptional, and we cannot wait for fans throughout Canada and the world to experience the celebration of hockey for themselves,” Hockey Canada COO Pat McLaughlin said in a statement.
Other cities that were believed to be interested in the tournament include Saskatoon and Regina, as well as another run from Halifax and Moncton.
Canada has won the past two championships, and four times over the past six events. Connor Bedard, the top prospect for the 2023 NHL Draft, had nine goals and 23 points at the 2023 edition for one of the most incredible tournament performances ever. He would go on to win the inaugural IIHF’s men’s hockey player of the year award.
USA is set to host the 2026 world juniors, with rumored cities including Detroit, Minneapolis, Seattle and Vegas. The United States last hosted a tournament in Buffalo in 2018 and 2011, with Grand Forks and Thief River Falls hosting it back in 2005.