Ice Hockey Wiki
Register
Advertisement
IIHF World U20 Championship
2023 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
Sport Ice hockey
Founded 1977
Inaugural season 1974 World Junior Championship
No. of teams 10
Most recent champion(s) Flag of Canada Canada (19th, 2022)
Most championship(s) Flag of Canada Canada (19 titles)
Official website IIHF.com

The IIHF Ice Hockey World Junior Championships (WJC), commonly known simply as the World Juniors, is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) for national under-20 ice hockey teams from around the world. It is traditionally held in late December, ending in the beginning of January.

The main tournament features the top ten ranked hockey nations in the world, comprising the 'Top Division', from which a world champion is crowned. There are also three lower pools—Divisions I, II and III—that each play separate tournaments playing for the right to be promoted to a higher pool, or face relegation to a lower pool.

The competition's profile is particularly high in Canada; its stature has been credited to Canada's strong performance in the tournament (it has won the gold medal sixteen times since its inception), the role of hockey in Canadian culture, along with strong media coverage and fan attendance. As such, in recent years, nearly half of the tournaments have been held in Canadian cities, with the remainder being held in Europe and the United States.

Canada is the defending champion of the tournament, after having beaten Sweden to win the 2022 edition in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

History[]

The first official tournament was held in 1977, although the first three tournaments from 1974 to 1976 were held unofficially.[1] The tournament has been dominated by the teams from Canada and Soviet Union/CIS/Russia, together accounting for 31 of the 45 overall gold medals awarded (through 2021). The USSR won the first four official tournaments, while the Canadians put together five straight championships between 1993 and 1997, and another five straight from 2005 to 2009. Canada leads the all-time gold medal count with 19 golds, while the Soviet Union, the CIS and Russia combined have 13 golds.

When it began, the World Junior Championship was a relatively obscure tournament. It has since grown in prestige, particularly in Canada, where the tournament ranks as one of the most important events on the sports calendar and during the holiday season. The Globe and Mail writer Bruce Dowbiggin credits TSN, along with Canada's strong performance at the tournament, for turning it from an obscure non-event when it acquired the rights in 1991 (which had started to grow in prominence due to the 1987 Punch-up in Piestany) to one of Canada's most beloved annual sports events, and at the same time cementing the link between Canadian nationalism and hockey, and inspiring the NHL's Winter Classic.[2][3] Based on increasing attendances for countries repeatedly hosting the event, the popularity of the tournament seems to be growing in other nations as well.

At editions of the tournament held in the country, games involving Team Canada consistently sell out NHL arenas, offering large profit guarantees to Hockey Canada and the IIHF.[4] In the 21st century, Canada has and will continue to host the tournament every second or third year due to the significantly greater following the tournament has in Canada compared to other participating countries. Originally, Switzerland was selected to host the WJHC in 2010, but withdrew.[5] Buffalo, New York, in the United States, hosted the tournament in 2011 and 2018; in both cases, proximity to Canada's population core in Southern Ontario was a key factor in the city winning the bidding rights.[6]

The tournament offers one of the most prestigious stages for young hockey players, significantly boosting a player's value for upcoming NHL Entry Drafts.[3]

Punch-up in Piestany[]

Main article: Punch-up in Piestany
One of the most infamous incidents in WJC history occurred in 1987 in Piestany, Czechoslovakia (today's Slovakia), where a bench-clearing brawl occurred between Canada and the Soviet Union. It began when the Soviet Union's Pavel Kostichkin took a two-handed slash at Canadian player Theoren Fleury. The Soviet Union's Evgeny Davydov then came off the bench, eventually leading to both benches emptying. The officials, unable to break up the fight, left the ice and eventually tried shutting off the arena lights, but the brawl lasted for 20 minutes before the IIHF declared the game null and void. A 35-minute emergency meeting was held, resulting in the delegates voting 7–1 (the sole dissenter was Canadian Dennis McDonald) to eject both teams from the tournament. The Canadian team chose to leave rather than stay for the end-of-tournament dinner, from which the Soviet team was banned.

While the Soviets were out of medal contention, Canada was playing for the gold medal, and were leading 4–2 at the time of the brawl. The gold medal ultimately went to Finland, hosts Czechoslovakia took the silver and Sweden, who had previously been eliminated from medal contention, was awarded the bronze.[7]

Champions[]

Unofficial tournaments[]

Year Gold medal icon Gold Silver medal icon Silver Bronze medal icon Bronze Host city (cities) Host country (countries)
1974 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union Flag of Finland Finland Flag of Canada Canada Leningrad Flag of Soviet Union Soviet Union
1975 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union Flag of Canada Canada Flag of Sweden Sweden Winnipeg and Brandon
Minneapolis, Bloomington and Fargo
Flag of Canada Canada
Flag of the United States United States
1976 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union Flag of Canada Canada Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Tampere, Turku, Pori and Rauma Flag of Finland Finland

Official tournaments[]

Key
  • (#) Number of tournaments won at the time.
Year Gold medal icon Gold Silver medal icon Silver Bronze medal icon Bronze 4th place Host city (cities) Host country (countries)
1977 [[Image:{{{flag alias-1955}}}|22x20px|border |link=Soviet Union]] Soviet Union (1) Flag of Canada Canada (1) Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia (1) Flag of Finland Finland (1) Zvolen and Banská Bystrica Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia
1978 [[Image:{{{flag alias-1955}}}|22x20px|border |link=Soviet Union]] Soviet Union (2) Flag of Sweden Sweden (1) Flag of Canada Canada (1) Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia (1) Montreal and Quebec City Flag of Canada Canada
1979 [[Image:{{{flag alias-1955}}}|22x20px|border |link=Soviet Union]] Soviet Union (3) Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia (1) Flag of Sweden Sweden (1) Flag of Finland Finland (2) Karlstad and Karlskoga Flag of Sweden Sweden
1980 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union (4) Flag of Finland Finland (1) Flag of Sweden Sweden (2) Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia (2) Helsinki and Vantaa Flag of Finland Finland
1981 Flag of Sweden Sweden (1) Flag of Finland Finland (2) Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union (1) Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia (3) Füssen, Landsberg and Kaufbeuren Flag of West Germany West Germany
1982 Flag of Canada Canada (1) Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia (2) Flag of Finland Finland (1) [[Image:{{{flag alias-1955}}}|22x20px|border |link=Soviet Union]] Soviet Union (1) Bloomington, Minneapolis and Duluth
Winnipeg and Kenora
Flag of the United States United States
Flag of Canada Canada
1983 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union (5) Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia (3) Flag of Canada Canada (2) Flag of Sweden Sweden (1) Leningrad Flag of Soviet Union Soviet Union
1984 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union (6) Flag of Finland Finland (3) Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia (2) Flag of Canada Canada (1) Norrköping and Nyköping Flag of Sweden Sweden
1985 Flag of Canada Canada (2) Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia (4) Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union (2) Flag of Finland Finland (3) Helsinki and Turku Flag of Finland Finland
1986 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union (7) Flag of Canada Canada (2) Flag of the United States United States of America (1) Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia (4) Hamilton, Toronto and London Flag of Canada Canada
1987 Flag of Finland Finland[α]
(1)
Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia[α]
(5)
Flag of Sweden Sweden[α]
(3)
Flag of the United States United States of America (1) Piešťany, Topoľčany, Trenčín and Nitra Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia
1988 Flag of Canada Canada (3) Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union (1) Flag of Finland Finland (2) Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia (4) Moscow Flag of Soviet Union Soviet Union
1989 Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union (8) Flag of Sweden Sweden (2) Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia (3) Flag of Canada Canada (2) Anchorage and Eagle River Flag of the United States United States
1990 Flag of Canada Canada (4) Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union (2) Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia (4) Flag of Finland Finland (4) Helsinki and Turku Flag of Finland Finland[β]
1991 Flag of Canada Canada (5) Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union (3) Flag of Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia (5) Flag of the United States United States of America (2) Saskatoon Flag of Canada Canada
1992 Flag of the CIS svg CIS [8](1) Flag of Sweden Sweden (3) Flag of the United States United States of America (2) Flag of Finland Finland (5) Füssen and Kaufbeuren Flag of Germany Germany
1993 Flag of Canada Canada (6) Flag of Sweden Sweden (4) Czech Republic and Slovakia [9] (6) Flag of the United States United States of America (3) Gävle, Uppsala and Falun Flag of Sweden Sweden
1994 Flag of Canada Canada (7) Flag of Sweden Sweden (5) Flag of Russia Russia (1) Flag of Finland Finland (6) Ostrava and Frýdek-Místek Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic
1995 Flag of Canada Canada (8) Flag of Russia Russia (1) Flag of Sweden Sweden (4) Flag of Finland Finland (7) Red Deer, Edmonton and Calgary Flag of Canada Canada
1996 Flag of Canada Canada (9) Flag of Sweden Sweden (6) Flag of Russia Russia (2) Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic (1) Boston, Amherst and Marlborough Flag of the United States United States
1997 Flag of Canada Canada (10) Flag of the United States United States of America (1) Flag of Russia Russia (3) Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic (2) Geneva and Morges Flag of Switzerland Switzerland
1998 Flag of Finland Finland (2) Flag of Russia Russia (2) Flag of Switzerland Switzerland (1) Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic (3) Helsinki and Hämeenlinna Flag of Finland Finland
1999 Flag of Russia Russia (1) Flag of Canada Canada (3) Flag of Slovakia Slovakia (1) Flag of Sweden Sweden (2) Winnipeg, Brandon and Selkirk Flag of Canada Canada
2000 Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic (1) Flag of Russia Russia (3) Flag of Canada Canada (3) Flag of the United States United States of America (4) Skellefteå and Umeå Flag of Sweden Sweden
2001 Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic (2) Flag of Finland Finland (4) Flag of Canada Canada (4) Flag of Sweden Sweden (3) Moscow and Podolsk Flag of Russia Russia
2002 Flag of Russia Russia (2) Flag of Canada Canada (4) Flag of Finland Finland (3) Flag of Switzerland Switzerland (1) Pardubice and Hradec Králové Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic
2003 Flag of Russia Russia (3) Flag of Canada Canada (5) Flag of Finland Finland (4) Flag of the United States United States of America (5) Halifax and Sydney Flag of Canada Canada
2004 Flag of the United States United States of America (1) Flag of Canada Canada (6) Flag of Finland Finland (5) Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic (4) Helsinki and Hämeenlinna Flag of Finland Finland
2005 Flag of Canada Canada (11) Flag of Russia Russia (4) Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic (1) Flag of the United States United States of America (6) Grand Forks and Thief River Falls Flag of the United States United States
2006 Flag of Canada Canada (12) Flag of Russia Russia (5) Flag of Finland Finland (6) Flag of the United States United States of America (7) Vancouver, Kelowna and Kamloops Flag of Canada Canada
2007 Flag of Canada Canada (13) Flag of Russia Russia (6) Flag of the United States United States of America (3) Flag of Sweden Sweden (4) Leksand and Mora Flag of Sweden Sweden
2008 Flag of Canada Canada (14) Flag of Sweden Sweden (7) Flag of Russia Russia (4) Flag of the United States United States of America (8) Pardubice and Liberec Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic
2009 Flag of Canada Canada (15) Flag of Sweden Sweden (8) Flag of Russia Russia (5) Flag of Slovakia Slovakia (1) Ottawa Flag of Canada Canada
2010 Flag of the United States United States of America (2) Flag of Canada Canada (7) Flag of Sweden Sweden (5) Flag of Switzerland Switzerland (2) Saskatoon and Regina Flag of Canada Canada
2011 Flag of Russia Russia (4) Flag of Canada Canada (8) Flag of the United States United States of America (4) Flag of Sweden Sweden (5) Buffalo (various venues)[10] Flag of the United States United States
2012 Flag of Sweden Sweden (2) Flag of Russia Russia (7) Flag of Canada Canada (5) Flag of Finland Finland (8) Calgary and Edmonton Flag of Canada Canada
2013 Flag of the United States United States of America (3) Flag of Sweden Sweden (9) Flag of Russia Russia (6) Flag of Canada Canada (3) Ufa Flag of Russia Russia
2014 Flag of Finland Finland (3) Flag of Sweden Sweden (10) Flag of Russia Russia (7) Flag of Canada Canada (4) Malmö Flag of Sweden Sweden
2015 Flag of Canada Canada (16) Flag of Russia Russia (8) Flag of Slovakia Slovakia (2) Flag of Sweden Sweden (6) Toronto and Montreal Flag of Canada Canada
2016 Flag of Finland Finland (4) Flag of Russia Russia (9) Flag of the United States United States of America (5) Flag of Sweden Sweden (7) Helsinki Flag of Finland Finland
2017 Flag of the United States United States of America (4) Flag of Canada Canada (9) Flag of Russia Russia (8) Flag of Sweden Sweden (8) Montreal and Toronto[11] Flag of Canada Canada
2018 Flag of Canada Canada (17) Flag of Sweden Sweden (11) Flag of the United States United States of America (6) Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic (5) Buffalo (various venues)[12] Flag of the United States United States
2019 Flag of Finland Finland (5) Flag of the United States United States of America (2) Flag of Russia Russia (9) Flag of Switzerland Switzerland (3) Vancouver and Victoria Flag of Canada Canada
2020 Flag of Canada Canada (18) Flag of Russia Russia (10) Flag of Sweden Sweden (6) Flag of Finland Finland (9) Ostrava and Třinec Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic
2021 Flag of the United States United States of America (5) Flag of Canada Canada (10) Flag of Finland Finland (7) Flag of Russia Russia (1) Edmonton Flag of Canada Canada
2022 Flag of Canada Canada (19) Flag of Finland Finland (5) Flag of Sweden Sweden (7) Flag of the Czech Republic Czech Republic (6) Edmonton Flag of Canada Canada
2023 Halifax and Moncton Flag of Canada Canada
2024 Gothenburg Flag of Sweden Sweden
2025 Flag of the United States United States


Participating countries[]

Canada, Finland and Sweden have participated in all 44 IIHF Ice Hockey World Junior Championships as well as the three unofficial World Junior Championships. USSR/CIS/Russia (when the Soviet Union broke up, Russia remained in Pool A, while all other former Soviet republics started competing in Pool C in 1993) and Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic have also participated in all official and unofficial World Junior Championships, and the United States has participated in all except the unofficial tournament in 1976.

When Czechoslovakia peacefully split in 1993, the Czech Republic remained in Pool A but Slovakia was placed in Pool C (now Division II). Slovakia was promoted to the top division for the 1996 Championships and has remained there since.

Starting with the 1996 tournament, the competition was increased from an 8-team round-robin to the current 10-team format, including elimination rounds. Since then, Switzerland has become a regular participant.

Germany has been a frequent participant in the top pool, having played there roughly half the time in the past decade. Latvia, Belarus, and Kazakhstan have also each made a number of top division appearances since the early 1990s. Less frequent top pool appearances have been made by Austria, Denmark, France, Japan, Norway, Poland and Ukraine.

At the most recent championship, held in Canada in 2022, participating teams included Austria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.

Player eligibility[]

A player is eligible to play in the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships if:[13]

  • the player is of the male sex;
  • the player has his 20th birthday in the year of the tournament's ending (i.e. 1994 for 2014 tournament), and at latest, the fifth year after the tournament's ending (i.e. 1999 for 2014 tournament);
  • the player is a citizen in the country he represents;
  • the player is under the jurisdiction of a national association that is a member of the IIHF.

If a player who has never played in IIHF-organized competition wishes to switch national eligibility, he must have played in competitions for two consecutive years in the new country without playing in another country, as well as show his move to the new country's national association with an international transfer card. In case the player has previously played in IIHF-organized competition but wishes to switch national eligibility, he must have played in competitions for four consecutive years in the new country without playing in another country, he must show his move to the new country's national association with an international transfer card, as well as be a citizen of the new country. A player may only switch national eligibility once.[14]

Tournament awards[]

At the conclusion of each tournament, the Directorate of the IIHF presents awards to the Top Goalie, Forward and Defenceman of the tournament. The media attending the event select an All-Star team separately from this.

Broadcast coverage[]

The following television networks and websites broadcast World Junior Championship games on television or online.

Country Broadcaster(s)
Canada TSN
RDS
Czech Republic ČT
Europe Eurosport
Finland Yle, MTV3 (2009-2015)
Russia NTV Plus
Slovakia RTVS
Sweden SVT
TV4/TV12
Viasat
United States NHL Network

TSN (Canada) is the IIHF's main broadcast partner for this tournament. TSN.ca carries all Canada, select preliminary round, and all medal round games live, as well as most games on demand after their completion.[15]

Starting with the 2013 tournament, TSN.ca online coverage - both Live and On-Demand - is behind a paywall and only available from Canadian I.P. addresses.[16]

See also[]

Notes[]

General references

Further reading[]

External links[]

This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at IIHF World U20 Championship. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Ice Hockey Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License 3.0 (Unported) (CC-BY-SA).


Advertisement