Upcoming season or competition: 2025 World U-17 Hockey Challenge | |
| Sport | Ice hockey |
|---|---|
| First season | 1986 |
| Most recent champion |  Canada White |
| Most titles | Canada Ontario (8) |
| Sponsor | Hockey Canada |
| Related competitions | Canadian Junior Hockey League World Junior A Challenge |
| Official website | World U-17 Hockey Challenge |
TheWorld U-17 Hockey Challenge, originally known as theQuebecEsso Cup, is an internationalice hockeytournament held annually in Canada. Prior to 2011,[note 1] the tournament did not operate during years in which theCanada Winter Games were held. As such, the World Under-17 Challenge was held three out of every four years. It is organized byHockey Canada and is the first major international competition for male hockey players under the age of 17. The tournament is the first step in Hockey Canada's Program of Excellence and is used to identify players moving on to theU18 andNational Junior Team.
The inaugural World Under-17 Hockey Challenge took place inQuebec as the1986 Quebec Esso Cup. At the time, it was considered the unofficial world championship ofmidget hockey. It was also used as a development tool for theCanadian Amateur Hockey Association to identify players for further development as well as expose them to their first taste of international competition. The tournament was among ten teams, five regional teams from Canada, Finland,Czechoslovakia, the United States, Sweden, and theSoviet Union. Team Quebec, led by futureNHL first overall pickPierre Turgeon captured gold by defeating the Soviets, who featured the likes ofSergei Fedorov andAlexander Mogilny.
Prior to November 2014, the tournament was held from late December through to early January. Originally, Canada would field five teams, selected on a regional basis.
The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge has continued to grow over the years to the point where it is perhaps the largest annual event administered under Hockey Canada's own auspices. Although the tournament is not sanctioned by theIIHF, it attracts U17 teams from the United States, Sweden, and Russia on an annual basis and Czech Republic, Finland, and Slovakia on a semi-annual basis.
The tournament is currently held in November of each year.
Canada enters three teams each year. Prior to November 2014, Canada entered five regional teams
Other participating nations have included:
United States
Finland
Russia
Sweden
Slovakia
Czech Republic
Germany
Soviet Union (now defunct) Czechoslovakia (now defunct)| Country |  Gold |  Silver |  Bronze | Medals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada Ontario | 8 | 2 | 3 | 13 |
 United States | 6 | 9 | 2 | 17 |
| Russia Soviet Union | 5 1 6 | 2 1 3 | 2 1 3 | 9 3 12 |
| Canada Quebec | 3 | 2 | 5 | 10 |
| Canada White | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Sweden | 2 | 2 | 6 | 10 |
| Canada West | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Finland | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| Canada Pacific | 0 | 6 | 4 | 10 |
| Canada Red | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Czech Republic Czechoslovakia | 0 0 0 | 1 0 1 | 3 1 4 | 4 1 5 |
| Canada Black | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Canada Atlantic | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada (CAN) | 16 | 14 | 14 | 44 |
| 2 | United States (USA) | 6 | 9 | 2 | 17 |
| 3 | Russia (RUS) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 12 |
| 4 | Sweden (SWE) | 2 | 2 | 6 | 10 |
| 5 | Finland (FIN) | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 |
| 6 | Czech Republic (CZE) | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 |
| Totals (6 entries) | 31 | 31 | 31 | 93 | |
In bold, players selectedfirst overall in the NHL entry draft
|
|
|
