Young Stars returning to Penticton without Alberta teams
Oilers and Flames pull out, but Canucks will still face Jets; U Sports teams added
A slightly dimmer version of the Vancouver Canucks Young Stars Classic will return to Penticton in September, the NHL team announced Wednesday.
Gone for the eighth edition of the event will be the rookie squads from the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, leaving just prospects from the Canucks and Winnipeg Jets to face off in a two-game set.
Filling the gap will be clubs from the University of Alberta and University of B.C., which will play a two-game series against each other.
Penticton Mayor Andrew Jakubeit, also the head of the local Young Stars organizing committee, said it’s his understanding the Flames and Oilers “wanted to try something on their own closer to their market and closer to their fan base.”
While it was rumoured in January that the Alberta clubs were interested in moving the tournament to Red Deer, neither team has made such an announcement, and their spokesmen didn’t respond to requests for comment Wednesday.
“We hope they will be coming back after trying something in Alberta,” said Jakubeit.
“But at the end of the day, we’re still really excited because you get to see the Canucks with perhaps the best set of prospects they’ve ever had.”
And the university teams, he added, are staffed with ex-major junior players that would give the baby NHL teams a run for their money.
“It’s going to be — make no mistake — good hockey,” said Jakubeit.
Young Stars will run Sept. 7-9 at the South Okanagan Events Centre with rosters and ticket information to be announced at a later date.
Among the Canucks’ prospects expected to attend are Adam Gaudette, Jonathan Dahlen, Olli Juolevi, Lukas Jasek, Jonah Gadjovich, Zack MacEwen, Jalen Chatfield, Guillaume Brisebois and Michael DiPietro. Vancouver’s roster will also include forward Kole Lind, who is likely to graduate from the WHL’s Kelowna Rockets and begin his pro career next season.
Meanwhile, the Jets’ squad that is one win away from the NHL Western Conference final features many players who once suited up in the Young Stars tournament.
News of the revised Young Stars format came just a day after Penticton city council received a glowing report that estimated the economic impact of the SOEC campus at $35 million.
SOEC general manager Dean Clarke said the timing of the Young Stars announcement was driven primarily by the Canucks.
Clarke also reeled off a list of events booked for the SEC in May, including three major concerts — Kip Moore, George Thorogood and Slayer.
Those events are expected to draw upwards of 31,000 people to the campus.