Lukas Bernasiewicz
It’s official, after much speculation and anticipation, the Town of Oakville and the Oakville Blades will be hosting the 2024 Centennial Cup at Sixteen-Mile Sports Complex.
"The Oakville Blades submitted a first-class bid presentation by a first-class organization both on and off the ice," said Canadian Junior Hockey League president Andy Harkness today.
"With first-class facilities and a first-class town, we are more than excited to drop the puck in one year's time."
This is a huge win for the town; the Centennial Cup is an enormous hockey tournament hosted by the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) and Hockey Canada, featuring the best Junior "A" teams from across the country against each other in a 10-day competition.
Some may even argue that this tournament may be harder to win than the CHL's Memorial Cup tournament because the Centennial Cup consists of ten teams, whereas the Memorial Cup consists of only four.
Not only is this a big win for Oakville itself, but it is also a win for the Oakville Blades as an organization.
Since the Blades will be the host team, they get an automatic entrance into the tournament before the 2023-24 season begins.
So whether the Blades have a good season or another down year, they will still be participating in next year's tournament.
The Blades will also be a hot destination for young recruits who may now choose to play for Oakville instead of another team because the Blades are a lock to compete in this event.
But the Centennial Cup, at heart, is a win for the Oakville community.
The event will bring numerous benefits to the town beyond just hockey games: spectators will come from all across Canada, increasing economic activity for local businesses and also supporting the growth of jobs.
Not only will this tournament help the town economically, but it will also give the Oakville national exposure as all games will be broadcast nationally on TSN.
The Oakville Blades plan to make this event "a can't-miss experience" and hope that all local residents can contribute to the event and pack Sixteen-Mile Sports Complex to its capacity.
Oakville MPP Stephen Crawford said it best: "We live in the best community in Canada, and it’s a hockey town. We have a great facility, a great community, [and] let's showcase it to all Canadians."
For more information about the event, and for ticket purchases, you can visit the Oakville Blades website here.
