Connor Bedard (second from right) and some of his teammates celebrate a goal against Austria during first-period world junior hockey championship action in Edmonton on Dec. 28, 2021. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson)

By CKOM News

‘It’d be awesome’: Regina, Saskatoon excited about bid for 2023 world juniors

Mar 31, 2022 | 1:09 PM

The cities of Regina and Saskatoon are looking at putting up as much as $350,000 each to support a bid for the 2023 world junior hockey championship tournament.

For Regina Mayor Sandra Masters, it would be money well spent.

“This is unbelievable news, just even the opportunity to bid, having had it pulled from Russia,” she said on Thursday’s Greg Morgan Morning Show.

The 2023 tournament was originally scheduled to take place in Novosibirsk, Russia between Dec. 26, 2022 and Jan. 5, 2023. On Feb. 28, the International Ice Hockey Federation announced it was stripping Russia of its hosting rights — among other things — due to the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Masters believes having the 2023 tournament in Regina would have a big impact on the city in a time of the year where tourism usually dips.

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“In terms of visitor economy (and) tourism, especially in the month of December and into January, it would be fantastic,” she said.

Regina and Saskatoon city councils both are to hold special meetings Friday morning to consider the options.

According to the agenda for Friday’s meeting in Saskatoon, the 2023 tournament would be held in Saskatchewan centres from Dec. 15 to Jan. 2.

Regina and Saskatoon have to provide a business plan to Hockey Canada by Monday. A final decision on the tournament’s location is to be made later in April.

The money in Regina would come from the city’s Events, Conventions and Tradeshows attraction budget. Saskatoon’s funding would come from the Reserve for Major Special Events.

Saskatchewan has played host to the world junior tournament twice before, in 1991 and 2010. According to a letter to city council from Tourism Saskatoon CEO Stephanie Clovechok, the 2010 event was “one of the strongest-producing events in Hockey Canada’s history.”

In 2010, Saskatoon played host to games involving Canada as well as the medal round because SaskTel Centre is a bigger venue than Regina’s Brandt Centre.

As a result, Saskatoon paid twice as much as Regina — $500,000 to $250,000 — to get the tournament. If the 2010 funding model is repeated, Regina’s share in 2023 would be $175,000.

Clovechok noted the event would generate as much as $50 million in economic impact, attract more than 300,000 fans to the 31 games, and bring more than 20,000 visitors to Saskatoon for the tournament.

“All 31 games will be broadcast worldwide on TSN/RDS driving over 120 million viewers worldwide, providing international exposure to Saskatoon’s hosting excellence, our prioritization of Indigenous inclusion and the legacy commitment that we make through major event hosting,” Clovechok wrote.

Players react to possibility

Regina Pats centre Connor Bedard played in the COVID-shortened 2022 tournament in Alberta. The 16-year-old product of North Vancouver, B.C., would love to see the 2023 tournament in his adopted backyard.

“Anywhere you play in Canada, you watch those tournaments growing up and it’s crazy, the support Team Canada gets,” he said Wednesday. “Even us (at the tournament in Edmonton), it was 50 per cent capacity but everyone’s face (was) painted and that sort of thing.

“It’s definitely a pretty cool atmosphere and if we can get it here, I’m sure it’d be pretty crazy.”

Saskatoon Blades forward Tristen Robins agreed, noting Saskatchewan’s “a good hockey province.”

“It’d be awesome,” he said. “It’d get a lot of interest for sure. A lot of people that maybe don’t normally come to a lot of games, they’ll come out and watch those and enjoy their time.”

Bedard played in the 2022 tournament and he likely will be invited to play for Canada when the ’22 event is contested again in August.

If he makes Team Canada for the 2023 tournament, he would be playing in his third world juniors in one calendar year.

“That’s probably not going to happen again, so it’s definitely pretty cool (after) growing up watching it and having that dream of always playing in that tournament,” he said.

“Obviously we got a couple of games in in December and just the support you feel from the country and everyone in the building is so cool. If (playing three in one year) is able to happen, that would be something very special.”

— With files from 980 CJME’s Britton Gray