In what has become a holiday season tradition, tomorrow will mark the start of this year’s IIHF World Junior Championship. The best U20 players from all over the world will come together in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia to compete for the coveted gold medal, and a place in junior hockey history. Many have already been drafted by an NHL team, but still have to prove their worth to their future organization or show the many scouts just what they missed out on.
Things will kick off tomorrow afternoon and continue through to Saturday, January 5th when the final relegation, bronze and gold medal games will all be played at Rogers Arena, home of the Vancouver Canucks.
The full schedule is as follows (all times in CST):
Wednesday, December 26th
Czech Republic vs Switzerland – 3:00pm – Vancouver, BC
United States vs Slovakia – 5:30pm – Victoria, BC
Canada vs Denmark – 7:00pm – Vancouver, BC
Finland vs Sweden – 9:30pm – Victoria, BC
Thursday, December 27th
Russia vs Denmark – 3:00pm – Vancouver, BC
Slovakia vs Sweden – 5:30pm – Victoria, BC
Switzerland vs Canada – 7:00pm – Vancouver, BC
Finland vs Kazakhstan – 9:30pm – Victoria, BC
Friday, December 28th
Czech Republic vs Russia – 7:00pm – Vancouver, BC
Kazakhstan vs United States – 9:30pm – Victoria, BC
Saturday, December 29th
Denmark vs Switzerland – 3:00pm – Vancouver, BC
Slovakia vs Finland – 5:30pm – Victoria, BC
Canada vs Czech Republic – 7:00pm – Vancouver, BC
Sweden vs United States – 9:30pm – Victoria, BC
Sunday, December 30th
Switzerland vs Russia – 7:00pm – Vancouver, BC
Kazakhstan vs Slovakia – 9:30pm – Victoria, BC
Monday, December 31st
Denmark vs Czech Republic – 3:00pm – Vancouver, BC
Sweden vs Kazakhstan – 5:30pm – Victoria, BC
Russia vs Canada – 7:00pm – Vancouver, BC
United States vs Finland – 9:30pm – Victoria, BC
Tuesday, January 1st
No games scheduled
Wednesday, January 2nd
Relegation Match 1 of 3 – 1:00pm – Vancouver, BC
Quarter Final 1 of 4 – 3:00pm – Victoria, BC
Quarter Final 2 of 4 – 5:30pm – Vancouver, BC
Quarter Final 3 of 4 – 7:00pm – Victoria, BC
Quarter Final 4 of 4 – 9:30pm – Vancouver, BC
Thursday, January 3rd
No games scheduled
Friday, January 4th
Relegation Match 2 of 3 – 11:00am – Vancouver, BC
Semifinal 1 of 2 – 3:00pm – Vancouver, BC
Semifinal 2 of 2 – 7:00pm – Vancouver, BC
Saturday, January 5th
Relegation Match 3 of 3 – 11:00am – Vancouver, BC*
Bronze Medal Game – 3:00pm – Vancouver, BC
Gold Medal Game – 7:00pm – Vancouver, BC
*If necessary