Canucks 'Young Stars Classic' returning to Penticton this year

Photo: Marissa Baecker

The Vancouver Canucks announced Tuesday the Young Stars Classic will return to Penticton this year.

The event will run at the South Okanagan Events Centre Sept. 11 to 15, featuring prospects from the Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, Winnipeg Jets, and Vancouver Canucks.

“We are very excited to once again hold the Young Stars Classic in Penticton, BC,” said Jim Benning, Canucks general manager. “The Young Stars tournament provides an opportunity to evaluate top NHL prospects in competitive, high-caliber games. We’re grateful to the South Okanagan Events Centre and the City of Penticton for providing their first-class facility and hospitality.” 

Penticton mayor John Vassilaki is elated by the announcement.

“Hockey has a long and established history in Penticton, and this tournament, marking the ninth time it will have been held in our community, continues our tradition of being a popular and welcoming community to host great hockey events,” he said. 

One of the SOEC’s biggest events of the year, the Young Stars Classic did not run in 2019 due to a lack of participating teams. The 2018 event was held without the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, which departed to hold their own rookie event in Alberta — resulting in the schedule being padded out with teams from the Universities of Alberta and B.C.

But the schedule released Tuesday shows a full six game lineup involving NHL teams. Ticket information will be announced at a later date.

GAME         TEAMS                                                                DATE                       TIME     

Game 1       Vancouver vs. Winnipeg                                Sept. 11            7:00pm

Game 2       Calgary vs. Winnipeg                                      Sept. 12            4:00pm 

Game 3       Vancouver vs. Edmonton                               Sept. 12            7:30pm

Game 4       Edmonton vs. Calgary                                     Sept. 13            4:00pm

Game 5       Edmonton vs. Winnipeg                                 Sept. 15            4:00pm

Game 6       Vancouver vs. Calgary                                    Sept. 15            7:30pm