Pursuit to Host the 2021 Telus Cup

The Telus Cup which started in 1973 as the Wrigley Cup, then the Air Canada Cup in 1978, it has been an annual tournament of the best players at the major midget level, as these teenagers are on the verge of potentially being the next great stars of junior hockey in the Canadian Hockey League and Canadian Junior “A” Hockey League from across Canada. Actually, the Telus Cup is where many potential stars of hockey at the university level and even the NHL get to have their first showcase on national television, as the Telus Cup is aired on TSN. Many current and former NHL players have played in this prestigious major midget tournament such as Sidney Crosby, Wendel Clark, Ron Hextall, Steve Yzerman, and Alex Pietrangelo who have all showcased their talents at the Telus Cup as teenagers. These major midget teams that participated each year come from various parts of Canada, in which the teams play in practically every region across Canada from coast to coast. With the tournament history of nearly 50 years being hosted across Canada, it has created historic moments in hockey history at the major midget level. True big populated area teams in Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia have regularly participated in the Telus Cup, but it is not just those teams that win, in 2017 the Major Midget Cape Brenton West Islanders were Telus Cup Champions when they won the event in Sudbury, Ontario. Just like the Stanley Cup, the Olympics, World Cup of Hockey, and the IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships, historic moments are created on the biggest stages in sports, especially the game of hockey. With the Valley Wildcats who have established a pathway to hockey excellence, especially more so in the last few years with the Junior A team in the Maritime Hockey League, they have paved the way for many talented hockey players in the Annapolis Valley with the major bantam and major midget teams. With the experience and development, various players have had success in not only the major midget levels but at higher levels in hockey at the Maritime Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, World Junior Hockey Championships, Canadian and US College and even the NHL. Players like Drake Batherson (New Minas), Cole McLaren (Annapolis Royal), Michael Dill (Windsor), Robbie Dowell (Middleton), Sam Henderson (New Minas), Adam Chipman (Bridgetown), Eric Chipman (Bridgetown), Dawson Wood (Falmouth), Grant Janes (Kingston), Brett Tidman (Kingston), Stephen Woodworth (Middleton), Nicholas Blanchard (Kentville), Lukas Kane (Cambridge), Makail Park (Newport), and Colton Parsons (Kingston) are just a handful of countless players to go through the Major Midget Wildcats organization in the beautiful Annapolis Valley and have excelled further in hockey at various levels. Also, although not being part of the Wildcats organization Windsor, Nova Scotia native John Paris Jr. has excelled as a coach at the major midget level as he led the Quebec Riverains du Richelieu to the title at the 1987 Midget Hockey Championship title and was the first African descent person to coach a professional hockey team. With the Wildcats playing out of the Berwick arena, Kings Mutual Century Centre and being nearby Acadia University, the Andrew H. McCain Arena, they have put in a joint bid to host the 2021 Telus Cup. With the friendly atmosphere, the beauty scenery, and great hospitality that the Annapolis Valley offers, it will be a great opportunity for the Valley Wildcats to host the event, as history would be made if they host the best major midget players from across Canada, not to mention showcasing the overwhelming talent that is being developed in the Nova Scotia region. It will not be until next month when it is determined who will host the 2021 Telus Cup, but the Valley Wildcats organization is in full efforts to rally hockey fans on various aspects, including social media, that they are well deserving in being awarded the 2021 Telus Cup. Like previous years, the tournament will showcase the next wave of potential stars in the game of hockey as the best major midget hockey teams in Canada face off. The Valley Wildcats are in pursuit of hosting and becoming part of Canadian hockey history in 2021. Look forward to your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments section.

Photo courtesy of Valley Wildcats