THE CANADIAN PRESS
SASKATOON — The world junior hockey championship is coming to Saskatchewan.
Hockey Canada and the Canadian Hockey League announced Monday that Saskatoon and Regina will host the 2010 tournament.
"Today is a great day for hockey in Canada and especially in Saskatchewan," Hockey Canada president and CEO Bob Nicholson said in a release. "The Saskatchewan bid team did a great job in bringing a province-wide bid and solid business plan for us to consider.
"We had three outstanding bids to choose from and all three candidates would have been great hosts of the 2010 IIHF world junior championship, but at the end of the process, we are very confident that Saskatchewan will deliver an outstanding event."
Winnipeg/Brandon and Halifax/Moncton were the other finalists.
The tournament is expected to make an estimated economic impact of over $25 million in Saskatchewan. Games will be played at the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon and the Brandt Centre in Regina, with the 31-game schedule to be announced early next year.
"The Canadian Hockey League is proud to be part of bringing the world juniors back to Saskatchewan", said CHL president David Branch. "This will be a great experience for all of the players and fans that will be part of this championship.
"The world juniors is a unique event when it is held in Canada and the CHL and our member clubs in Saskatchewan will again help to run a first-class event in the heartland of major junior hockey."
Saskatoon previously hosted the tournament in 1991..
"We knew we had a strong bid with outstanding support from the Saskatchewan hockey community, and our partners in Saskatoon, Regina, and the Province of Saskatchewan," said bid committee chair Jack Brodsky. "We will now start the process of building a strong host organizing committee to plan what we know will be a great 2010 world junior championship.
"This was a great team effort and it feels great to win the 2010 world junior championship for Saskatchewan."
.Canada will go for its fifth straight gold medal at the 2009 tournament in Ottawa.
The 2012 tournament will also be held in Canada. Saskatoon/Regina has presented a bid for that event along with Toronto and Calgary/Edmonton.
The site selection committee is expected to announce the host later this summer.
