2010 Memorial Cup & World Juniors

[wango tango]

2010 could prove to be a huge season for elite level hockey in western canada.

the memorial cup and potentially the wjhc's could be played in the land of the dub.

the memorial cup will for sure be in the west in 2010 as it will be the whl's turn to host. vancouver is hosting this year, so if past history holds true, the next host will be from the central or eastern division of the whl. my guess on the front runners *in no particular order: saskatoon, red deer, lethbridge.

the world juniors are a little muddier water to navigate. 2009 wjhc's will be in ottawa, and since '99 the canadian host city has alternated east/west. now if this pattern holds true the wjhc's would be held somewhere in western canada. potential bidders: edmonton, calgary, saskatoon, winnipeg.

[GOBLADESGO#3 (among other aliases)]

i hope they come to saskatoon. if i am still in the city i will try to get tickets and i really think its good for saskatoon to get some attention, a very underrated city.

[GBG BLEED BLUE]

From: www.canada.com


A right to remain silent
Memorial Cup a priority, Saskatoon not likely to bid for 2010 world juniors

Cory Wolfe, The StarPhoenix Saskatoon
Published: Saturday, May 12, 2007
The StarPhoenix

Saskatoon is likely to sit out the next round of bidding for the world junior hockey championship.

The city has been shortlisted for the event three times in the last five years.

However, the timing of the 2010 tournament would clash with the Saskatoon Blades' intention to bid for the 2010 Memorial Cup.


I'd be surprised if there wasn't some (local) interest shown," said Joe Bloski, who served as chair of past Saskatoon bids for the world junior tournament.

"But we have to make sure we do all of our homework and look at the potential of other events and what the reality is." Saskatoon hosted the international tournament in 1991 and bid unsuccessfully on events that were awarded to Halifax (2003), Vancouver (2006) and Ottawa (2009). Canada will also stage the 2010 event, it was announced Friday, because Hockey Canada was the only association to express interest.

The bid process has not officially begun. However, Bloski speculated that presentations would take place next spring. Bids for the 2010 Memorial Cup would likely be due by November 2008.

"I've indicated before that we will have an interest in the Memorial Cup in 2010. There's no question about that," said Blades president Jack Brodsky.

"Whether or not we'll be in a position to be serious about that, we'll know better probably in a year or so when we see how our hockey club is.

"But we plan to be that kind of team." The Memorial Cup tournament rotates among the Western Hockey League and major junior loops in Ontario and Quebec.

Vancouver is site of this year's event and the WHL's next turn to be host is 2010.

Certainly, Saskatoon won't go after both the Memorial Cup and world juniors. Committees for the two initiatives share common members.

"We have a great relationship with the Sports Tourism group," said Brodsky.

"I've worked together with them on the last couple of world junior bids and we've been in touch and talked already about the Memorial Cup (in 2010)." Unless the Blades give up that chase, Saskatoon is not likely to bid on the world junior tournament until 2012.

"You have to weigh all of the odds," said Bloski. "With the Olympics being in Western Canada in 2010 and the Memorial Cup being in Western Canada that spring, having the world juniors in Western Canada is not likely to happen."

cwolfe@sp.canwest.com




© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2007