World Junior A Challenge

The World Junior A Challenge (WJAC) is an annual under-20 international ice hockey tournament sponsored by Hockey Canada, the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL), and the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). The tournament showcases Junior A level players and is modeled after the IIHF World U20 Championships, which displays the best of all junior-aged hockey players. It has been hosted by Canadian cities every year in CJAHL markets.

World Junior A Challenge
Current season, competition or edition:
2018 World Junior A Challenge
SportIce hockey
Inaugural season2006
Most recent
champion(s)		 Russia
Most titles United States (8)
TV partner(s)TSN
Sponsor(s)Hockey Canada
Canadian Junior Hockey League
International Ice Hockey Federation
Related
competitions		CJHL Prospects Game
Royal Bank Cup
World U-17 Hockey Challenge
Official websiteWorld Junior A Challenge

The tournament features six teams per year and has seen teams from Canada, the United States, Russia, Sweden, Slovakia, Germany, Switzerland and Belarus. Canada is represented by two regional squads; Canada West consists of players from the British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Superior International Junior Hockey Leagues, while Canada East features players from the Northern Ontario, Ontario, Central, Quebec, and Maritime Junior Hockey Leagues. American players are chosen from the United States Hockey League. Canada West captured the first two gold medals in tournament history, while the United States won the next three. Also, Russia, who has been with the tournament since the beginning, generally sends their Under-18 Team in place of a general select squad.[1][2][3]

History
Canada West's Justin Gvora w/ First ever awarded WJAC Championship Trophy and Medallion (2006)

The tournament was created in 2006 through a proposal by the Canadian Junior A Hockey League (CJHL prior to 2008) to Hockey Canada. The idea behind the tournament was to showcase players from Canadian Junior "A" to Canadian Hockey League, National Collegiate Athletic Association, and National Hockey League scouts, while also exposing them to an international level and style of play.

The inaugural 2006 tournament was hosted in Yorkton, Saskatchewan, and featured six teams – Canada West, Canada East, Russia, Slovakia, Germany and Belarus. Both Canadian teams met in the final with Canada West defeating Slovakia 7-1 and Canada East defeating Russia 5-1 in their respective semifinals. Led by Kyle Turris, Canada West ran up a 4-0 tally against Canada East early in the game and held on for a 4-3 victory to win the first-ever WJAC championship.

The 2007 tournament was held in Trail, British Columbia. The United States joined the tournament for the first time, replacing Slovakia.[4] For the second straight year, Canada West defeated the East in the final.

Beginning in 2008, the United States began a string of dominance at the tournament. They defeated Canada West in the 2008 (Camrose, Alberta) and 2009 (Summerside, Prince Edward Island) finals before winning their third consecutive title against Canada East in 2010 (Penticton, British Columbia). The 2009 tournament featured newcomers Sweden, who sent a team in place of Germany. That year also marked the first time in tournament history that Canada East failed to medal. At the 2010 WJAC, Switzerland competed in place of Belarus.

The 2013 tournament was won by the United States, 4-1, over Russia. This instance marked the first time in tournament history that both Canada East and Canada West were shut out of the gold medal game.

In 2014, the tournament was played in late December as opposed to it usually taking place in early November.

Champions
Year MVP Host City
2006 Canada West Canada East Russia Kyle TurrisYorkton, Saskatchewan [5][6]
2007 Canada West Canada East United States Mike ConnollyTrail, British Columbia [7][8]
2008 United States Canada West Canada East Mike CichyCamrose, Alberta [9]
2009 United States Canada West Russia Sean BonarSummerside, Prince Edward Island [10]
2010 United States Canada East Switzerland Scott MayfieldPenticton, British Columbia[11]
2011 Canada West Canada East United States Devin ShoreLangley, British Columbia[12]
2012 United States Canada West Switzerland Vincent HinostrozaYarmouth, Nova Scotia[13]
2013 United States Russia Canada West Nick SchmaltzYarmouth, Nova Scotia[14]
2014 United States Denmark Russia Nikolaj EhlersKindersley, Saskatchewan
2015 Canada West Russia United States Tyson JostCobourg & Whitby, Ontario
2016 United States Canada East Russia Andrei SvechnikovBonnyville, Alberta
2017 Canada West  United States Czech Republic Zach RoseTruro, Nova Scotia[15]
2018 United States Russia Canada West Bobby Brink Bonnyville, Alberta
2019 Russia Canada East  United States Devon Levi Dawson Creek, British Columbia

All-time team records
All-time team records
RankTeamGPW-L-OTLMedals
1 United States 46 34-5-1 8 G, 0 S, 3 B
2 Canada West 50 27-14-3 5 G, 3 S, 2 B
3 Russia 49 22-19-2 1 G, 3 S, 4 B
4 Canada East 48 20-20-4 0 G, 5 S, 1 B
5 Switzerland 22 9-12-1 0 G, 0 S, 2 B
6 Czech Republic 23 4-12-1 0 G, 0 S, 0 B
- Belarus 17 4-12-1 0 G, 0 S, 0 B
8 Sweden 12 3-7-2 0 G, 0 S, 0 B
9 Denmark 4 3-0-1 0 G, 1 S, 0 B
10 Slovakia 5 2-2-1 0 G, 0 S, 0 B
11 Germany 12 2-10-0 0 G, 0 S, 0 B

See also

References
  1. "Мировой Кубок Вызова 2009/2010 - Юниорская сборная до 18 лет (webcitation.org)" (in Russian). FHR. Archived from the original on January 4, 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2012.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  2. "Мировой Кубок Вызова 2010/11 - Юниорская сборная до 18 лет (webcitation.org)" (in Russian). FHR. Archived from the original on January 4, 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2012.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  3. "Мировой Кубок Вызова 2011/12 - Юниорская сборная до 18 лет (webcitation.org)" (in Russian). FHR. Archived from the original on January 4, 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2012.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  4. News
  5. Home/News
  6. Home/News
  7. Home/News
  8. Home/News
  9. SIJHL.com - 2008 WJAC in CAMROSE, AB
  10. http://www.ojhl.pointstreaksites.com/view/ojhl/news-21/news_2662
  11. http://www.mjhlhockey.ca/news_item.aspx?news_id=1802
  12. http://www.thevanguard.ca/Sports/Hockey/2011-05-30/article-2545532/Yarmouth-picked-2012-host-for-world-challenge/1
  13. http://www.thevanguard.ca/Sports/Hockey/2011-05-30/article-2545532/Yarmouth-picked-2012-host-for-world-challenge/1
  14. http://thejuniorhockeynews.com/?p=10112
  15. Truro readies to host 2017 World Junior A Challenge
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