Burnaby, B.C. – Minor hockey players from more than 50 teams from as far away as Dallas and San Jose will compete in five divisions in this year’s edition of The Pat Quinn Classic taking place December 27 to 31 in Burnaby.
The annual holiday season competition is celebrating its fifth year of offering a top tournament experience for young players. This year’s tournament features three male divisions: PeeWee AAA Elite, Bantam AAA Elite and Bantam AAA and two female divisions: PeeWee AAA and Bantam AAA. The tournament schedule and results are available here.
“The growth of this annual competition has been amazing,” said Cliff Ronning, honourary chair of the Pat Quinn Classic. “We are thrilled with the continued interest and participation from teams from across B.C. and Alberta and the United States as we’ve become the not-to-miss tournament attracting young hockey players seeking the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in a professionally-run event. It’s going to be quite a show and celebration of hockey later this month as we mark the fifth year of the Pat Quinn Classic.”
More than 3,000 players have participated in the tournament since 2015.
Supported by the City of Burnaby and Tourism Burnaby, in addition to raising more than $45,000 for the Pat Quinn legacy fund since 2015, the tournament also attracts a significant number of hockey scouts. Over the past four years, more than 170 tournament players have been drafted to the Western Hockey League.
In addition to competing for trophies in the five divisions, players in the 2019 Pat Quinn Classic are also eligible to apply for a $1,000 scholarship. Three scholarships (sponsored by Vancouver Canucks Alumni Association) are available for applicants who demonstrate leadership on the ice, strong academics and a commitment to giving back to their community. Scholarship details are available here.
The Burnaby Minor Hockey Association began hosting the annual December Bantam hockey tournament in 1962. It’s now the longest-running event of its kind in the world. The tournament became the Pat Quinn Classic in 2015, named after the legendary player, coach, general manager and team owner. Pat is internationally-recognized as one of the hockey’s greatest coaches and ambassadors. Proceeds go to the Pat Quinn Legacy Fund. Managed by Hockey Canada, the fund supports players in post-secondary education after their hockey careers. Quinn is one of the most recognizable faces in Canadian sport and has made an enormous contribution to sport in British Columbia and Canada.
The Bill Copeland Sports Centre, in Burnaby Sport Park, is the feature rink for the 2019 Pat Quinn Classic. Other venues include Burnaby Lake Arena, Burnaby Winter Club, Kensington Arena and Burnaby 8 Rinks.