Tournaments & Showcases
Canada Winter Games Hockey
Every four years, the country's top under-16 players represent their provinces at the Canada Winter Games. For CHL scouts in a draft year, it is the most important week of the season.
The Canada Winter Games is a multi-sport event held every four years, modelled on the Olympics. Hockey is one of the marquee sports, with provincial teams competing at U16 on the men's side and U18 on the women's side.
Why it matters for the CHL pipeline
The men's tournament happens during the CHL draft year for participating players. Provincial selection committees pick the strongest U16 AAA players from each province, which means almost every top CHL draft-eligible player on a Canadian roster is on the ice in the same building over the same week. CHL scouts attend in numbers; few in-season events compress that much talent into one venue.
Format
- Provincial teams (and a host territorial team) compete in a round-robin within two divisions.
- Top finishers advance to a single-elimination playoff for medals.
- Games are played in the host province's regional arenas over about ten days.
- Coaches are typically experienced AAA or junior B/A coaches from the province they represent.
The women's side
The women's tournament runs the same week at the U18 age group with provincial rosters. It is a key showcase for players in the pipeline toward national U18 programs and eventually NCAA Division I, USports, and the PWHL.