One of the biggest youth hockey summer tournaments is in full swing this month. Over the course of five weekends, boys and girls from multiple birth years take to the ice in the Montreal Meltdown. The field for the 30th Anniversary event will be made up of more than 200 teams across 10 age groups. Two divisions have already kicked off action earlier this month, with the next installment set to begin this weekend.
This year’s tournament starts with the youngest age groups of the 2014, 2015 and 2016 birth years and goes all the way up to an 18U division for ‘05, ‘06 and ‘07 birth years. Some age groups have as many as three different competition levels, presumably for AAA, AA and A-level teams.
Division 2 and 3-level ‘09, ‘10, ‘11, ‘12 and ‘13 age groups got underway on May 5th. The 18U and ‘08 age groups followed last weekend with 52 teams in action. Friday, 48 more teams from the ‘11 age group as well as ‘12, ‘13 and ‘14 teams will compete. Then, on June 1st, ‘09, ‘10 and ‘15 age groups will take to the ice. There is a AAA-level weekend for ‘12 through ‘16 birth years, however, dates have not been made public.
The pool of teams is made up primarily of Eastern Canada representatives, with a few U.S. clubs also taking part in the festivities from as far south as Tennessee. Matchups have been taking place at either the Sportplexe Pierrefonds or Complexe Sportif St-Raphael. The 2013, 2014 and D1 2011 divisions will each be split into two groups. The 2012 division is one group of nine teams. After this month-long competition, the next big date on the Canadian calendar will be the Brick Invitational. That is slated to begin July 4th and run through July 10th.
Fans can download an exclusive app to keep track of the latest scores, stats and standings HERE. Games will also be streamed live thanks to High Button Sports, which can be found HERE.
For more on the Montreal Meltdown and other upcoming tournaments and showcases be sure to follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube!
The championship game at the 2023 Future Legends Invitational was a matchup of best on best. Team Yzerman was the top team coming out of the Campbell Division with a 3-1-1 record. Their counterpart from the Wales Division, Team St. Louis, was 4-1-0. When the two 2011-born squads collided in Sunday’s championship game, it was full of drama. Ultimately, Easton Scott was the one with late-game heroics for Team St. Louis, winning the championship 6-5 in overtime.
Team 2011 St. Louis taking the ship at HHOF Future Legends yesterday! Congrats 🏆🎉 pic.twitter.com/wLBVOqLCbc
— PLAY Hockey (@playhockeyna) May 1, 2023
After eight minutes of sudden-death action, forward Jack Cross corralled the puck behind Team Yzerman’s net. He sent a centering pass into the slot to Brody Grant, who quickly fired a wrist shot on net. Owen Ryan made the initial save for Team Yzerman, but Scott lingering on the near post was able to chip in the rebound to win the game for Team St. Louis.
It was Scott’s seventh goal of the Future Legends Invitational. He finished second behind teammate and New Jersey Colonials forward Jack Cross, who led the tournament with 11 goals. The duo accounted for 18 of Team St. Louis’ 35 goals over the weekend.
In 33 games between 2011 born teams at the Future Legends Invitational, 16 of them were decided by two goals or fewer. Team St. Louis played in five of those games, victorious in four including the championship thriller.
The 192 individual participants were evenly divided into 12 teams for the weekend. Similarly, 160 players from the 2012 birth year were separated onto 10 competitive teams. The ‘12 age group played 28 games total, of which half were decided by two goals or fewer.
No team’s total goal differential exceeded plus-11, meaning that the highest average margin of victory by any team was just 1.57 goals.
Kale Nicol led all 2012s in scoring with 21 points, but eight other skaters finished the tournament averaging more than a point per game as well. Nicol picked up multiple points in every game he played in, including two outings with a hat trick. He also scored a goal and an assist in Team Howe’s championship loss to Team Lemieux.
Even as champion, Team Lemieux suffered an 8-3 loss at the hands of Team Lidstrom. The two teams would meet again in the semifinals, with Lemieux victorious in overtime after Samuel Douglas’ fourth goal of the tournament.
The leading scorer by a wide margin, Kale Nicol scored 14 goals — five more than any other skater — and 21 points. He opened the Future Legends Invitational with a three-point performance, including the game-tying goal to force a shootout. Nicol was also crucial in Team Howe’s playoff games, scoring four points in a 6-5 win over Team Yzerman. That advanced his team to the semifinals, where Nicol mounted another four-point game to push Team Howe past Team St. Louis, 7-4.
The championship was all Ryan Graves, though. The Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers forward put together his best performance of the tournament in the final game. He scored the opening goal 4:35 into the first period. Graves followed that up three more goals and an assist, as he tied the game early in the third, and gave Team Lemieux the 6-5 lead late in the period as well.
Graves finished third in the tournament in scoring with 15 points, topped only by Nicol and his Future Legends teammate Austin Jarvi who had 18.
Think you’ve got what it takes to be a Future Legend? EMAIL TODAY and follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube for more!
Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN — Today, PLAY Hockey announced the acquisition of the World Hockey Group’s (WHG) North American and European events. The acquisition expands PLAY Hockey’s global youth hockey events in Europe and North America. With the addition of the WHG, PLAY Hockey is now proud to host guests at over 90 events each year in addition to operating over 400 youth hockey teams.
“This strategic acquisition allows us to align the two most prestigious youth hockey brands.” said Josh Thiem, President of PLAY Hockey. “This could not have been completed without the excellent work of our corporate development team that is constantly looking for opportunities to enhance our portfolio of hockey events, and by extension, the opportunities and experiences we are able to provide to players and families.”
The addition of the WHG will merge two prominent youth hockey tournaments hosted in Europe, the World Youth Championships and World Selects Invitational (WSI), creating the most elite youth hockey event in the world. PLAY Hockey is also proud to add the North American WSI hockey events to its roster.
“This allows us to expand global opportunities for elite youth hockey players and scale up experiences for players,” said Sergai Zak, World Selects Invitational general manager. “We will now be able to deliver even more valuable opportunities for players and their families across the world.”
About PLAY Hockey
PLAY Hockey Canada and its solely owned subsidiary PLAY Hockey USA which operates as PLAY Hockey owns and operates youth hockey events in countries worldwide including Canada, USA and Europe.
About the World Hockey Group
World Hockey Group specializes in sports tours and travel throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. We offer a wide variety of experiences which includes organizing a tailored sports tour for your specific needs. Players practice, compete against, and participate in fun activities with players from many different countries. Guests also tour their destination cities, taking in area attractions including museums, historic sites, and natural wonders.
Some of the top young prospects in youth hockey will converge on Toronto for the HHOF Future Legends Invitational. Established in 2017, this invite-only event was designed to showcase some of the top talent at the boys U12 age level and girls U13 age level.
The tournament is unique to youth hockey for a multitude of reasons. The main one being that upon arrival, individual players are unaware of what team they will be competing for in the tournament. It’s not until the opening ceremonies on Thursday afternoon, when players are ‘drafted’ onto evenly balanced teams. Those teams are named after iconic Hockey Hall of Famers such as Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Bobby Orr, Nicklas Lidstrom, Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy, among others.
Once assigned to a tournament team, players compete in four pool-play games before a single-elimination tournament starts on Saturday. In addition to playing high-level hockey against top competition, players are thrust into a locker room with new teammates. Former winter club teammates also transition to foes, as they compete against one another for the weekend.
The weekend’s festivities include a private viewing of the Hockey Hall of Fame in downtown Toronto. Participants can get an up close, intimate look at the Stanley Cup, and other historical pieces.
The Future Legends Invitational is still in its infancy, compared to the rich histories of The Brick Invitational (33 years) and PeeWee Quebec (62 years). In fact, some of the earliest participants from the Future Legends tournament have yet to reach NHL Entry Draft eligibility. However, that hasn’t stopped participants such as Michael Misa, Matthew Schaefer, Will Horcoff and Christian Humphries from forging a future in hockey.
After receiving exceptional status, Misa was selected first overall in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection as an ‘07 selected amongst players from the ‘06 birth year. One year later, Schaefer went first overall in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection. Both were standouts from the Future Legends Invitational in 2018. Another notable alumni from that year was the first overall pick in the 2022 WHL Bantam Draft, Gavin McKenna. The Yukon Territories native most recently set the record for most points scored in the Canada Winter Games. He’s scored 18 points in 16 WHL games already, and will play his first full season of junior hockey next fall.
In the States, Humphries was one of the top scorers this season for the U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP). He was also a part of the inaugural Future Legends Invitational in 2017. One year later, Detroit native Will Horcoff would follow that path to Toronto for the invite-only showcase and compete against Misa, Schaefer, McKenna and others. More recently, one year later, Horcoff is set to follow in Humphries’ wake again to the USNTDP next fall.
Almost 200 of the top 2011-born boys youth hockey players will be in Toronto for the Future Legends Invitational. Roughly 100 girls from the same birth year, and 160 boys from the 2012 birth year will also compete in their respective age groups. Draft ceremonies are slated to begin Thursday, with off-ice combine testing and games to start shortly after.
Girls division games begin at 8 a.m. EST on Friday, while both boys divisions get underway on Thursday afternoon. All games are available to watch on HNLive.ca. Players will participate in on- and off-ice testing, meant to replicate the experience that prospects undergo during the NHL Combine. The Future Legends Invitational is an all-encompassing experience for youth hockey players to feel like the pros. Draft ceremonies, combine testing, elite-level games and exclusive tours of the Hockey Hall of Fame make this a must for top-level youth hockey players.
World Hockey Hub will have exclusive coverage of the HHOF Future Legends Invitational throughout the weekend. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube!
What is one of the biggest challenges we face feeding young athletes? Ice rink concession stand food. Most concession stands are full of popcorn, pizza, breadsticks and colorful slushies. Relying on these fast and tempting options will make an athlete sluggish and decrease their potential on the ice.
Eating a nourishing small snack before or after a skate will increase energy and maximize performance. A pre-skate snack will sustain energy and a post-skate snack is important to refuel muscles. A snack should contain both carbohydrate and protein, and be consumed within one hour of exertion. That is when muscles are primed for energy intake. Food choices really do make a difference.
Planning and preparation of portable and nourishing snacks is key. Young athletes require proper energy to support recovery and repair of their growing body. For hockey players to perform well, they need to eat well.
What type of snacks will provide energy and strength? Celly Salt is here to offer some ideas to help plan and prepare snacks to fuel healthy athletes.
With a little prep work and planning ahead, you can provide youth hockey players with viable, healthy and delicious snacks for life on the road. Here’s a few we recommend:
Brand name snacks
Ingredients
Directions
Cook’s Note: Great mixed into trail mix, topper for salad or just a snack.
Ingredients
Directions
Cook’s Note: Mix in 2 tablespoons chia seeds with the oats for added protein, fiber, calcium and magnesium.
Want more recipes and products from Celly Salt? Click HERE.
This weekend, 24 European teams will travel to Sweden to take part in the annual U11 Stockholm Trophy. This event features 17 teams from the host country of Sweden, three from Norway, two from Latvia and two from Israel. Participants will compete in a unique 3-on-3, cross-ice format with 15-minute periods.
Teams have been split up into three groups of eight. Each Division aptly named after iconic Hockey Hall of Fame inductees and Swedish natives Peter Forsberg, Mats Sundin and Nicklas Lidström.
| Forsberg Division | Sundin Division | Lidström Division |
| Brinkens IF White Malmö Redhawks Red One Ice Stars White Södertälje SK Trångsunds IF Blue Trångsunds IF White Ullensaker Flyers Red Viggbyholms IF White | AIK Black Bartulis HC 37 Orange Bartulis HC 37 Black Brinkens IF Red Malmö Redhawks White Nærbø Farmers Sollentuna HC Red Viggbyholms IF Red | AIK White Brinkens IF Black Järfälla HC One Ice Stars Blue Sollentuna HC White Spånga IS Blue Spånga IS White Ullensaker Flyers Blue |
The Stockholm Trophy is the first in a series of five tournaments this spring. It is followed by the U12 Lilla Resport, U13 Resport Trophy and the U14 and U15 Uplandia Trophy.
Want more coverage of the top teams and top players in youth hockey? Follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Discord and YouTube!
Celly Salt is an all-purpose seasoning blend founded in 2020 by a pair of hockey moms. It is trusted by the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks for pre- and post-game meals, among other uses.
In addition to being Celly Salt’s co-owner, Pam Aughe is also a culinary nutritionist. She shares her expertise in the field and how youth hockey players can combine their nutrition with Celly Salt for optimal performance on the ice.
Check out Celly Salt’s Meal of the Month and fuel up before your next big game!
It’s game day. What should you eat to play your best? It may be a little different for each athlete but there are some basic practices that you can follow for peak performance.
Twenty-four hours before game time is when the planning begins. Be sure to eat a carbohydrate rich dinner and drink extra water. One example of a carbohydrate rich dinner is the Celly Salt Game Day Pasta. It’s a whole grain pasta with vegetables for added nutrients and chicken for protein and fullness. Additionally, other examples of carbohydrate rich dinners are: A rice bowl with familiar vegetables and high-quality protein (beef, bison, pork, chicken, turkey, tuna and other fish, seafood, pea protein, tofu and dairy products); Whole grain pancakes and eggs; or Baked potato topped with lean chili. This is the time to avoid new foods that might upset your stomach.
On game day, continue with a high carbohydrate breakfast and lunch. Avoid skipping these important fueling meals. Above all, staying hydrated all day is also important to prevent cramps and fatigue.
A light meal around 2 hours before game time will also prevent fatigue. This could be a smoothie, lean protein sandwich, a banana with nuts or seeds or cereal with yogurt and berries. The size of the meal is dependent on how well you tolerate food before a big game. Limiting high fat items like pizza, fries, ice cream and fried chicken may help you avoid sluggishness or nausea as they take longer to empty from the stomach.
Afterwards, it’s time to refuel. Refueling is within 30 minutes after the game. This will increase muscle growth and strength. Chocolate milk is a quick refueling snack that provides hydration, protein and carbohydrates all in one.
Overall, eat game day smart by filling half of your plate with carbohydrates, eat colorful fruits and vegetables. Also choose high-quality proteins when eating at least three meals per day. Nutrition is an athletes not-so-secret weapon.
A carbohydrate rich meal to fuel muscles so they will be ready for action. Adding vegetables helps with inflammation and adding protein (chicken) for sustained fullness.
Pasta
1 pound whole grain thin spaghetti
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup slice carrots
1 cup snow or snap peas, halved
Sauce
¼ cup natural peanut butter
¼ cup light mayonnaise
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon Celly Salt Sin Bin Fire
1 whole prepared roasted chicken, cut up
Cook’s Note: In the event that athletes suffer from allergies, replace peanut butter with sunflower seed butter or almond butter. Adjust the vegetables to your favorite. Shred any remaining roasted chicken for next day sandwiches. Also, for more heat add extra Celly Salt Sin Bin Fire in the sauce.
On Saturday, The New Jersey Colonials announced their next 12U coach for the 2023-24 season; it will be 15-year NHL veteran Travis Zajac. The former New Jersey Devils forward joins a long list of NHL alumni to return as youth hockey coaches. Most notably in recent memory, Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla and two-time Stanley Cup champion Trevor Daley.
The New Jersey Colonials announce Travis Zajac as the 12U Minor 2012 AAA Head Coach for the 2023-24 season. Zajac joined the Colonials this season as an assistant with the 2012's who are fighting for an AYHL playoff spot. @NJDevils @AYHL @AtlanticDistr pic.twitter.com/UWWd2hYn7W
— NJColonialsYouthHockey (@colonials_nj) January 14, 2023
Zajac, along with countless other former pros, return to the game they know to shepherd the next generation of hockey players. In this case, he will likely lead his son, Zenon Zajac, and his soon-to-be 12U squad through the ‘23-24 season and beyond.
Iginla, Daley and now Zajac, are some of the more notable alumni on the North American youth hockey scene.
The most memorable of all is likely that of Hockey Hall of Famer Martin St. Louis. The former Stanley Cup champion made headlines last season as a youth hockey coach, going from coaching his son’s 13U Mid-Fairfield Jr. Rangers to the Montreal Canadiens’ bench last February.
Much like Iginla and Daley, Zajac enjoyed a long NHL playing career, last suiting up in the 2020-21 season with the New York Islanders.
Per the club’s release, “Zajac’s coaching philosophy is about teaching real skills that help kids make proper reads, create good habits and stay safe on the ice.”
This year’s Colonials 12U squad is in the midst of a playoff push in the Atlantic Youth Hockey League (AYHL). With the addition of Zajac, the Colonials are hoping it will put their program over the top as an attractive destination in a heavily populated youth hockey region.
Jarome Iginla has been a fixture in youth hockey since officially retiring as a player in 2018. Helping coach the respective teams of his two sons, Tij and Joe, Iginla also helped build the 2006 Boston Jr. Eagles into a top program during the 2018-19 season. The 2008-born Boston Jr. Terriers were also beneficiaries of his services for three seasons as well.
Beginning with the 2021-22 season, Iginla has served as head coach of the RINK Hockey Academy Kelowna’s U15 team. After a successful first season that saw the team skate to a 42-15-1 record, things have picked up where they left off. Currently at 35-6-0, Kelowna has been a constant in the World Rankings since the start of the season. Iginla’s son, Joe, is also a member of this year’s U15 roster.
Iginla also relies on Patrick Wiercioch as an assistant coach. Wiercioch brings a wealth of experience, including an AHL Cup Championship, World Championship Gold Medal and 11 seasons of professional hockey.
For 2009-born Florida Alliance, Trevor Daley steers the ship. Considered a non-traditional hockey market to some,the sport continues to grow at a rapid pace in South Florida. Daley now looks to continue on its trajectory.
As an added perk, Daley’s son, Trevor, is a standout for the Alliance. At the second annual Champions League Tournament last month, he collected 13 points en route to the team winning the championship.
Looking for more news regarding the top teams in youth hockey? Be sure to follow WHH on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and Discord!
As a youth hockey player, there are few moments with the game that are more enjoyable than shinny with neighborhood kids. Outside in the elements, just skates and sticks in weather so cold you can see your breath. Sporting winter gloves inside your hockey gloves to keep your fingers from going numb. Picking teams by blindly separating a pile of random sticks into two piles of random sticks. Skating until the sun goes down, before getting your dad’s construction lamp out of the garage to illuminate the ice for a few more minutes before dinner.
The sound the ice makes as a skate carves into it just hits different when you’re outdoors.
Some people enjoy such moments on a frozen lake or pond. While it can be ideal, you are usually at the mercy of Mother Nature. Victim to soft spots, rough patches and other natural occurrences. Others get by with makeshift, home-made rinks pieced together with plywood and two-by-fours. Each piece typically fits together with the next one in a very specific sequence, of which is forgotten year over year.
Why not spare yourself the time, frustration and uncertainty? Enjoy the game the way it was meant to be played every winter with EZ Ice Rinks.
Aptly nicknamed ‘the 60-minute backyard rink’ because it can be assembled on any surface, with no tools, no hammering stakes and no frustration. EZ Ice Rinks starts out as small as 10 feet by 10 feet in dimension. From there, it can be expanded as big as a full-sized NHL sheet of ice. Kits are customizable in size, and can be upgraded with ease.
From personal use in the backyard, to community recreation centers, EZ Ice Rinks are great for any use. They can be set up in the backyard, on patios, parking lots or tennis courts. Work on your personal game, get some extra shots on the net, skating and small-area stickhandling with an intimate setup at the house. Provide a service to the entire neighborhood or local community with a large skating rink equipped with full-size boards, netting and foam safety pads.
10% off your next EZ Ice Rink order
With 10-foot by 10-foot rinks starting out at $1,480.00 USD, EZ Ice Rink boards are made out of the same plastic as NHL sideboards. They come in three different heights: classic is perfect for shinny, double height provides a little extra and arena height offers game-like realism. All of them are able to withstand slapshots in excess of 100 miles per hour. There’s an option for behind-the-goal style netting to keep stray pucks from ending up in the neighbor’s yard. Plus, rounded corner options and foam bumpers for extra safety.
‘That’s a lot of money!’
Is it? After the cost of lumber and what you’d spend in 2-by-4s and plywood, not to mention the time investment. You get what you pay for with EZ Ice Rink; something durable, long-lasting and easy to set up as well as maintain.
While studying mechanical engineering at Yale University, CEO and inventor Dylan Gastel launched EZ Ice Rink in 2016. Now, a team of 20-plus employees sells EZ Ice Rinks out of their offices in Newton, Massachusetts, USA.
“Truly, my best childhood memories are skating with my [siblings] and my teammates in my backyard,” said Gastel.
His goal is to help grow the game of ice hockey, so that others can fall in love with the sport as he did. Growing up in Rhode Island, he’s had a passion for the game since he started skating at three years old. Now, he’s managed to share that passion with the hockey community by developing an outdoor rink that can be assembled by anyone, in any backyard, all across North America.
“I wake up every single day knowing that I’m getting kids off a device and onto the ice,” said Gastel.
Running for more than a decade now, the Shanahan International Tournament has brought top teams from Canada and the U.S. together for November hockey action.
The 2022 edition of ‘The Shanahan’ didn’t disappoint, either, as a few U.S. programs were able to make the trek across the border. Here’s a look at how each of the divisions played out:
The 2008 York Simcoe Express wrapped up a tournament title with a victory over the North Central Predators in the U15 championship game. It was the final push to bump the Express into the Top 10 in Canada, as they move all the way up to No. 6 in our latest Canadian rankings.
York Simcoe started with a pair of 3-1 games. First, it was a win over the Toronto Titans and then a 3-1 loss to the Kingston Jr. Gaels. That lone loss of the tournament led to an offensive explosion in the next game. The Express found the back of the net eight different times in a 8-2 beatdown of the Ottawa Valley Titans.
They wrapped up preliminary-round play with a 2-1 win over the London Jr. Knights. In the semifinals, they played Ottawa Valley once again, and the Titans shrunk the final score from 8-2 down to 4-2.
In the championship, it was a nail-biter, but York Simcoe prevailed 1-0 over the North Central Predators. Finn Kearns scored the lone goal between the two clubs for the tournament-clinching tally.
Brayden Boyle and Jackson Halloran led the Express in scoring for the tournament. Both recorded six points for a point-per-game average at the Shanahan.
Riley Barkey and Colin Ellsworth split time between the pipes; Barkey finished with a 3-0-0 record and a 1.67 goals-against avearge.
Ryder Cali of the North Central Predators led the U15s in scoring with eight points in six games. Kingston’s Maxim Dube and J.C. Lemeiux both had seven points in five games, as did Ottawa Valley’s Jordan Perrier.
The Upper Canada Cyclones prevailed in the championship game of the U14 division, claiming a Shanahan International Tournament title with a 5-2 win over the Mississauga Reps.
Their tournament run started nearly the same way it ended, as they beat the Reps 5-1 in their first game on Friday. After that, the Cyclones topped the Hamilton Huskies 7-3 before dropping their lone game of the tournament Saturday. They fell to the No. 5 ranked team in the world, Toronto Jr. Canadiens 4-0.
Upper Canada rebounded with a 5-3 win over the Niagara North Stars Saturday evening to wrap up preliminary-round play. In the quarterfinals, they snuck past the Mississauga Rebels with a 3-2 win in overtime, before topping the Windsor Zone 5-4 in the semifinals.
The Reps had pulled off the upset of the tournament when they beat the Jr. Canadiens in a shootout in the semifinals, but they ran out of steam and fell to the Cyclones in the final.
Brody Robertson led the Cyclones in scoring with 10 points in seven games, while Carter Cuglietta had nine.
Connor Haffner finished with a 3-1 record and a 3.25 goals-against average between the pipes; crease partner Beckett Campbell was 3-0-0 with a 2.00 GAA.
The Reps’ Cannon Thibodeau led the tournament in scoring with 13 points in seven games, while a pair of Jr. Canadiens — Noah Laus and Kingston Harris — had nine points in five games.
In the 2010 birth year, the Toronto Jr. Canadiens emerged at the top of a crowded Shanahan Invitational field.
There are three teams in the Canadian Top-10 Rankings who competed in the U13 division: the No. 1 Jr. Canadiens, No. 4 Don Mills Flyers and No. 9 Barrie Colts. Three other teams have been ranked previously or are knocking on the door in the Soo Greyhounds, Markham Majors and London Jr. Knights.
Ranked No. 1 in Canada and for good reason, the Jr. Canadiens’ lone blemish on the weekend was a Friday 4-4 tie with the Greyhounds. Other than that, it was all additions to the win column for the Toronto squad. They topped Ottawa Valley 5-2, the Ajax-Pickering Raiders 5-0 and Barrie 5-0 to round out the preliminary rounds.
In the semifinals, they blanked the Don Mills Flyers 3-0, and in the finals, it was nearly the same, as the Jr. Canadiens beat the Markham Majors 4-1.
Little Caesars crossed the border and claimed the Shanahan Invitational title at the U12 division. The 2011-born Michigan squad thrived against Canadian competition.
They were perfect through the preliminary round, beating Lambton Jr. Sting 4-0, Brantford 99ers 5-1, Niagara North Stars 6-1 and North York Rangers 5-2.
Things were tighter in the elimination rounds. Caesars prevailed 4-3 over the Mississauga Reps in the quarterfinals. Then in the semifinals, they needed overtime to top the Rochester Coalition 5-4. In the title game, however, it was all LC, as they beat the Upper Canada Cyclones 4-1 to finish off a perfect tournament outing in Canada.
The 2012 birth year featured some top-notch competition, as well. The impressive finals matchup between the Toronto Jr. Canadiens and Toronto Marlboros went to the Jr. Canadiens in a 5-2 final.
The 2013 group featured a Little Caesars team capturing the title, as well. The 9U Michigan squad topped the Soo Jr. Greyhounds 3-1 in the final.
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