IIHF 2021 World Juniors to be played in Edmonton Bubble

[PenguinHunter]

We will get our usual fix of World Junior hockey.

https://www.thescore.com/wjhc/news/2023040

This year's World Junior Championship will take place in the Edmonton hub, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.

[Shift Disturber]

Great news!

[2014olympicgold]

I think they plan on bringing in European countries on 3 charted flights over a few days.

Honestly, glad it'll be happening especially for kids who have already had so much taken from their social lives (between hockey and COVID), but hopefully nothing wrong happens.

[Axeman33]

This pretty much confirms NHL hockey has no plans on being back before the New Year I guess.

[PenguinHunter]

This pretty much confirms NHL hockey has no plans on being back before the New Year I guess.

Or that Edmonton is going to not play a home game between December 26 and January 7?

I think we can see NHL going on while the IIHF World Juniors are on in Edmonton.

World Juniors would probably be willing to use the practice arena for Group B play.

[Belexus75]

This pretty much confirms NHL hockey has no plans on being back before the New Year I guess.

i dont think it has anything to do with that. I honestly dont expect borders to be widely open without quarantine period before spring 2021 or earlier. Which means 6 Canadian teams will need to find homes south of the border to play in next NHL season to avoid cross border travel. Just like MLB is doing now.

this does not mean it starts in December, but i dont think Edmonton hosting WJC changes anything

[Goldendelicious]

Like unsure how this affects the NHL. But in my petty love for the WJC, I am so happy about this, was worried the tourney would be cancelled.

Hopefully there won't be major health implications affecting the players or staff when the tournament runs or leading up to it.

[Shift Disturber]

This pretty much confirms NHL hockey has no plans on being back before the New Year I guess.

The last comments I saw from Wirtz indicated a start date of mid- to late January.

[newfcollins]

i dont think it has anything to do with that. I honestly dont expect borders to be widely open without quarantine period before spring 2021 or earlier. Which means 6 Canadian teams will need to find homes south of the border to play in next NHL season to avoid cross border travel. Just like MLB is doing now.

I read somewhere (can't remember where) that the league may do four new divisions for next year. All seven Canadian teams will be in one division, and only play each other. So therefore, no border crossing needed until the postseason.

The other three divisions will obviously be American teams divided by geography. Say, for argument's sake, Buffalo, Boston, two New York teams, New Jersey, Washington, Pittsburgh and Philly in one division only playing each other. Cuts down on travel time and less exposure risk.

[stevegamer]

This is a smart use of a city that has proven it can handle a bubble well so far.