Guide to the 2025 World Junior Championship – The Hockey Writers – World Junior Hockey Championship

With December here, it’s time to look ahead to the next big event on the hockey calendar, the 2025 World Junior Championship. Last year, the United States took home their sixth title over the hometown Swedes in Gothenburg, with Czechia taking home the bronze over Finland. Canada, usually a medal contender, surprisingly fell 3-2 to the Czechs in the Quarterfinal, leaving them medal-less for the first time in four years.

The tournament has become a holiday tradition for many hockey fans around the world, beginning on Boxing Day (Dec. 26) each year and ending during the first week of the new year. The WJC has grown remarkably since the inaugural (official) tournament was held in 1977 and has massive international support.

This year, the tournament returns to Ottawa, Canada, for the second time. From 2020-23, Canada hosted the tournament for three straight years, but after being hosted in Sweden, the rotation between European and North American markets has been reestablished. The only change from before 2020 is that the relegation series has been shortened to a single-game knockout. Here’s to hoping we get another wildly exciting tournament this year!

NOTE: Final Roster and Players to Watch articles will be linked below as they are published