Burnaby – The Pat Quinn Classic has welcomed Northern California teams in the past, but at the 2024 tournament, a team from Irvine, south of Los Angeles, will be on the ice for its first appearance at the annual holiday season competition.
The Anaheim Jr Ducks 14U AA-2 is one of nine teams in the Integrated U15 Flight 2 division.
“The team is feeling very excited,” says Taylor Love, head coach. “There’s been an electric energy amongst the group about heading to Canada and getting the opportunity to play against kids their age from Canada.”
When asked how the team will prepare for competition at the Pat Quinn Classic, Love jokes that the players are “making sure they will bring a pack of Timbits and hand warmers to the games.” On the ice, they are “keeping the intensity up in practice and picking up a few wins leading up to the trip.”
For a team that’s making its Pat Quinn Classic debut, Love says their “expectations are gain an elite experience playing against Canadian hockey teams and enjoy a journey away from the rink.”
As for the players’ knowledge of Pat Quinn, Love says “they know he was an NHL player and legendary coach!”
The 2024 Pat Quinn Classic features 49 teams in seven divisions:
- 23 from the Lower Mainland
- 10 from the rest of B.C.
- 16 from the United States
The divisions are:
- Female U13 Elite
- Female U15 Elite
- Integrated U13 Flight 1
- Integrated U15 Flight 1
- Integrated U15 Flight 2
- Integrated U17 Flight 1
- Integrated U17 Flight 2
The tournament runs from December 27 to 31 at venues in Burnaby, Delta and Surrey.
About the Irvine ICE Foundation
The Irvine ICE Foundation, consisting of the Anaheim Jr. Ducks and the Anaheim Lady Ducks, is a youth hockey organization dedicated to the development of players at every skill level. For more than 20 years, the association has continued to maintain its status as one of the premier hockey programs in Southern California, by providing its players with a positive atmosphere that encourages good sportsmanship, teamwork and above all, an opportunity to enjoy their youth hockey experience. The programs include competitive teams for boys (ages 6 to 18) and girls (ages 6 to 19).
Backgrounder – The Pat Quinn Classic
The Burnaby Minor Hockey Association began hosting the annual December Bantam hockey tournament in 1962. It is 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 Scholarship 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