Burnaby, B.C. – In response to new COVID-19 measures introduced by the Province of British Columbia on December 17, 2021, the organizers of the Pat Quinn Classic annual hockey tournament have cancelled the 2021 edition.
The tournament was scheduled to take place December 27 to 31 in Burnaby.
New provincial health orders to slow the spread of COVID-19 include a pause in all sports tournaments.
“While it’s disappointing to cancel the Pat Quinn Classic for the second year in a row, we fully understand that public safety comes first,” said Chris Peters, executive director of Tourism Burnaby. “We were looking forward to bringing young hockey players back together for this annual holiday season tournament experience. We will now focus our attention on planning for a return to the ice in December 2022.” Tourism Burnaby is a key supporter of the annual tournament.
All participating teams for the 2021 tournament will receive a full refund.
Even though this year’s Pat Quinn Classic is cancelled, U15 players who had registered will be eligible to apply for the Vancouver Canucks Alumni Scholarships. Three $1,000 scholarships are available. Details about the scholarship and how to apply are available on the tournament website. The scholarships are in recognition of applicants who demonstrate leadership on the ice, strong academics and a commitment to giving back to their community. The deadline to apply is January 15, 2022.
The tournament will also donate $10,000 to the Pat Quinn Legacy Fund, which supports high performance athletes pursuing post-graduate studies. The fund is managed by Hockey Canada.
About the Pat Quinn Classic
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 Quinn 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 objective of the Pat Quinn Classic is to create a top international-calibre tournament in Western Canada to showcase local teams alongside some of the strongest programs in Canada, the U.S. and around the world. Organizers worked with the Quinn family to create a unique tournament that strikes the right balance between exciting hockey, skill and leadership development and community engagement. Pat motivated players at all levels to work hard on the ice and live with passion and integrity off the ice. The vision of this tournament exemplifies his love of hockey and his unwavering commitment to give back to the community.
MEDIA CONTACT:
info@patquinnclassic.com