2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships

Background and Unprecedented Cancellation

The 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was originally scheduled to be held from 26 December 2021 to 5 January 2022 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta. These cities were awarded the tournament as compensation after the 2021 edition was held in a closed-door bubble in Edmonton due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making this the 15th time Canada hosted the event. Preparations for the December event proceeded with plans for full capacity at Rogers Place under Alberta's Restrictions Exemption Program, which required proof of vaccination from all spectators. On 18 December 2021, organizers announced a reduction and rescheduling of pre-tournament exhibition games to 23 December, citing the changing epidemiological situation involving the Omicron variant. In late December 2021, the emergence of the Omicron variant led to new public health orders that restricted venue capacity to 50 percent starting 24 December and prohibited food and drink consumption while seated. The tournament schedule was already impacted as teams were required to quarantine if any member tested positive for COVID-19, leading to three games being forfeited by 29 December. Citing the health and safety of participants and that the competitive integrity of the tournament had been compromised by the forfeits, the IIHF announced that the remainder of the tournament had been abandoned on that date. IIHF president Luc Tardif stated during a press conference that a committee would meet in January to discuss the feasibility of resuming the tournament at a later date.

On 17 February 2022, Tardif announced that the tournament would be rescheduled to mid-August 2022, following the U18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup. The tournament would be replayed from the beginning, with all results and statistics from the first attempt thrown out, though rosters from the first playing were grandfathered. The following month, it was announced that the tournament replay had been scheduled for 9-20 August 2022, and that it would be hosted exclusively by Edmonton for the second year in a row, marking the 17th time Canada hosted the World Juniors. Those who had purchased tickets for the first running of the 2022 tournament, or the 2021 tournament, were given priority access to tickets for the August edition. With Edmonton focusing on the rescheduled tournament, the 2022 Hlinka Gretzky Cup was hosted exclusively by Red Deer. This complex rescheduling created a highly unusual summer edition of a tournament traditionally held during the winter holiday season.

Geopolitical Impact and Participant Changes

The geopolitical landscape significantly altered the tournament's participant list. In condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the IIHF suspended Russia from all international ice hockey competitions. Consequently, Russia was removed from the 2022 World Junior Championships. The IIHF also banned Belarus from international play for their support of the invasion, which removed the Division I-A winner from promotion consideration. To fill the vacancy in the ten-team top division, Latvia was invited to participate. Latvia had earned promotion to the top division for the 2023 tournament by finishing second in the Division I-A tournament held in December 2021. The absence of traditional hockey powers Russia and Belarus altered the dynamics of the tournament groups and playoff seeding, removing two teams that had historically been medal contenders.

Sponsorship Withdrawals and Financial Context

The rescheduled August tournament faced a severe financial and reputational crisis separate from its unusual timing. In June 2022, the Hockey Canada sexual assault scandal emerged, leading several major corporate sponsors to suspend their support and funding. Key sponsors withdrawing included BDO, Canadian Tire, Imperial Oil, Recipe Unlimited, Scotiabank, Telus, and Tim Hortons. The city of Edmonton also withdrew its marketing support for the event. Sportsnet writer Paul D. Grant suggested sponsors may have been given the option to receive refunds on sponsorship purchases made for the cancelled December 2021 tournament. This sponsorship exodus resulted in largely bare advertising boards inside Rogers Place during games, featuring only the tournament emblem and ads for the IIHF's official mobile app alongside a single placement for global IIHF sponsor Tissot. The lack of corporate branding was a stark visual departure from typical IIHF events and reflected the deep financial and public relations challenges facing Hockey Canada at the time.

Attendance Challenges and Contributing Factors

Ticket sales were remarkably low in the lead-up to the event, with thousands of seats unsold even for games involving Team Canada, which had typically been a major draw during Canadian-hosted tournaments. Several factors were cited for the poor attendance, including the summer scheduling conflicting with vacations and other sports, high ticket prices, the ongoing Hockey Canada scandals, and the removal of the Russian team. The opening day on 9 August saw minuscule announced crowds based on tickets sold, with 430, 376, and 829 spectators reported for the first three games, though the actual number of spectators in attendance was believed to be much lower. Attendance for Canada's preliminary round games remained modest, ranging from 2,779 for its first game against Latvia to 5,204 for its final preliminary game against Finland, a small fraction of Rogers Place's 18,500-seat hockey capacity. The gold medal game drew a more substantial but still underwhelming official crowd of 13,327. The low turnout contrasted sharply with the typically sold-out environments for World Junior tournaments hosted in Canada and highlighted the unique difficulties of this edition.

Preliminary Round and Group Standings

The ten teams were divided into two groups of five for the preliminary round. Group A featured Canada, Finland, Czechia, Latvia, and Slovakia. Canada dominated its group, winning all four of its games to finish first with 12 points. Finland secured second place with nine points, while Slovakia finished third with six points to claim the final playoff berth from the group. Latvia, in its historic top-division appearance, earned its first-ever World Junior preliminary round victory by defeating Czechia 5-2, but finished fourth with three points. Czechia was relegated after failing to secure a win, finishing last with zero points. Group B consisted of Sweden, the United States, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. Sweden topped the group with a perfect 4-0 record and 12 points. The United States finished second with eight points, and Germany advanced to the quarter-finals in third place with five points. Switzerland and Austria, with four and zero points respectively, did not advance to the playoff round.

Playoff Round and Medal Games

The playoff bracket featured the top four teams from each group, with winning teams reseeded for the semi-finals based on group position, points, goal difference, goals scored, and pre-tournament seeding. In the quarter-finals, the higher-seeded teams prevailed. Sweden defeated Latvia 2-1, Canada beat Switzerland 6-3, Finland shut out Germany 5-0, and the United States edged Czechia 4-2. The semi-finals set up classic rivalries. Canada faced off against the United States and emerged victorious with a 6-2 win, powered by a strong offensive performance. In the other semi-final, Finland defeated Sweden 1-0 in a tightly contested defensive battle. The bronze medal game saw Sweden rebound to defeat the United States 8-7 in a high-scoring affair that required a shootout after a 7-7 tie through regulation and overtime. The gold medal game between Canada and Finland was a tense, back-and-forth contest that extended into overtime. Canada ultimately secured its 19th World Junior title with a 3-2 overtime victory, sending the home crowd into celebration.

Statistics and Individual Awards

Canadian forward Mason McTavish was the tournament's dominant offensive force, leading all players in scoring. The statistical leaders and award winners for the tournament were selected by the IIHF directorate and media. McTavish's 17 points stood well ahead of his closest competitors. He was also named the tournament's Most Valuable Player by the media.

In goaltending, Sweden's Jesper Wallstedt was recognized as the best, meeting the minimum of 40 percent of his team's total ice time. The individual awards were distributed by the IIHF directorate. Mason McTavish was named Best Forward by the directorate. The Media All-Star Team included Swedish defencemen Olen Zellweger and Emil Andrae, and forwards from three different nations including McTavish.

These honours highlighted the performances that defined the tournament. Canadian players featured prominently in both the statistical and award categories. Mason McTavish was named Best Forward by the directorate and was the media's Most Valuable Player. Jesper Wallstedt of Sweden was named Best Goaltender by the directorate and was also on the Media All-Star Team.

Final Standings and Relegation

The final standings for the top division placed Canada first with the gold medal, Finland second with silver, and Sweden third with bronze after their shootout victory in the bronze medal game. The United States finished fourth following its semi-final and bronze medal game losses. Germany placed fifth, Slovakia sixth, Switzerland seventh, and Austria eighth after the playoff quarter-finals. Latvia finished ninth, successfully avoiding relegation in its debut top-division appearance, which secured its spot for the 2023 tournament. Czechia finished tenth and last in the standings, resulting in its relegation to Division I Group A for the 2023 World Junior Championships. This relegation marked a significant setback for Czechia's national junior program, which would need to earn promotion back to the top level.

Lower Division Tournaments and Schedule Changes

While the top division tournament in Edmonton garnered most attention, the IIHF's lower divisions also held their championships, though several faced significant pandemic-related delays and cancellations. The Division I Group A tournament was played on its original schedule in Hørsholm, Denmark, from 12 to 18 December 2021, with Norway winning promotion to the 2023 top division. Division I Group B was held in Tallinn, Estonia, during the same December period, won by France. Division II tournaments experienced greater disruption. Group A was held in Brașov, Romania, from 13 to 19 December 2021, with Japan earning promotion. Group B, originally scheduled for January 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was rescheduled and took place from 12 to 17 September 2022, where Ukraine won the group. The Division III tournament, originally set for 6 to 16 January 2022 in Querétaro, Mexico, was also cancelled due to the pandemic. It was rescheduled and took place from 22 to 30 July 2022. Bulgaria withdrew from the July tournament and was replaced by Australia, which had originally opted out of the January tournament, with Turkey ultimately winning the Division III championship. These widespread schedule changes across all divisions reflected the ongoing global impact of the pandemic on international sports throughout 2021 and 2022.

Questions about 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships

Why was the 2022 World Juniors played in August?

The tournament was originally held in December 2021 but was cancelled on 29 December after multiple teams reported COVID-19 outbreaks, leading to forfeited games and compromised competitive integrity. The IIHF decided to replay the entire tournament from scratch at a later date. It was rescheduled for August 2022 to provide a safe environment and to follow the U18 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, with all previous results annulled. The specific dates of 9 to 20 August were confirmed in March 2022, with Edmonton as the sole host city.

Who won the gold medal at the 2022 World Juniors?

Canada won the gold medal, defeating Finland 3-2 in overtime in the final game on 20 August 2022 at Rogers Place in Edmonton. This victory marked Canada's 19th title in World Junior Ice Hockey Championship history. The winning goal in overtime capped a hard-fought tournament for the Canadian team, which went undefeated through the preliminary round and playoffs. The win occurred on home ice, though attendance for the final was 13,327, below venue capacity.

Why was Russia not in the 2022 World Juniors?

Russia was suspended from all IIHF international competitions, including the World Juniors, in condemnation of its invasion of Ukraine. The IIHF announced the suspension as a direct consequence of the war. Belarus was also banned for its support of the invasion. Latvia, which had finished second in the December 2021 Division I-A tournament, was invited to replace Russia in the top division for the August replay.

Why was attendance so low at the 2022 tournament in Edmonton?

Attendance was significantly lower than typical Canadian-hosted World Juniors due to a combination of factors. The summer scheduling conflicted with traditional holiday viewing patterns and vacations. High ticket prices, the ongoing Hockey Canada sexual assault scandal which led to sponsor withdrawals, and the removal of the Russian team were also cited as reasons. Opening day crowds were in the hundreds, and even Canada's games drew only a fraction of Rogers Place's capacity, with the gold medal game attracting 13,327 spectators.

Who was the MVP of the 2022 World Juniors?

Canadian forward Mason McTavish was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player by the media. McTavish also led the tournament in scoring with 17 points (8 goals and 9 assists) in 7 games. He received additional honours as the Directorate Award winner for Best Forward and was selected as a Media All-Star forward. His performance was a central factor in Canada's gold medal victory and he topped the tournament's scoring leaders table.

What was Latvia's result in their first top-division appearance since 2012?

Latvia, replacing the suspended Russia, made a historic impact by earning its first-ever victory in a World Junior top-division preliminary round game, defeating Czechia 5-2. The team finished fourth in Group A with a 1-3 record, accumulating three points. In the playoffs, Latvia lost 2-1 to Sweden in the quarter-finals. Their ninth-place finish was sufficient to avoid relegation, securing their spot in the top division for the 2023 tournament and providing valuable experience for their program.

Sources and further reading

• 2022 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships (Wikipedia)
• 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship (teamusa.usahockey.com)

Checked by the Garbutt Disposal desk. Last updated 2026-10-23.