June 22, 2023
Burnaby, B.C. – More hockey teams and players will be able to experience the Pat Quinn Classic as tournament organizers announce an expanded format and more dates for 2023.
The seventh edition of the tournament will feature a new U17 Elite Integrated Division. That division will be added during the traditional tournament dates of December 27 to 31.
Organizers have also announced the U15 Elite Division will be featured as a stand-alone invitational tournament to be held under the Pat Quinn Classic name. In collaboration with Inside Edge Hockey, the first Pat Quinn Classic U15 Elite Invitational tournament will be held November 16 to 19, 2023.
Moving the U15 Elite Division to November provides a better scheduling opportunity for young players to show their skills to Western Hockey League and associated scouts.
Sixteen teams from Canada and the United States will be invited to participate in the Pat Quinn Classic U15 Elite Invitational tournament, which will be hosted at the Burnaby Winter Club and Planet Ice Delta.
“We welcome these exciting changes to the Pat Quinn Classic,” says Robyn Hughes, director of Sport Burnaby. “This sport event is all about providing opportunities to young players to experience hockey in a top-calibre tournament atmosphere. We are pleased to collaborate with Inside Edge Hockey to expand the Pat Quinn Classic.” Sport Burnaby and Tourism Burnaby own the Pat Quinn Classic.
“We are thrilled with this opportunity to work in partnership with Sport Burnaby to create a specific Pat Quinn Classic-branded tournament for U15 players,” says Joe Saloustros, co-founder of Inside Edge Hockey. “We know we will deliver a top tournament experience for these players this November, building on the excellence we deliver each year during the December competition.”
The U15 Elite tournament in November is by invitation. Registration for the December Pat Quinn Classic opens on July 15, 2023 at www.patquinnclassic.com.
In addition to competing for trophies, players in the U15, U15 Elite and U17 Elite Divisions are also eligible to apply for Vancouver Canucks Alumni Association Scholarships. Five $1,000 scholarships are available in 2023.
2023 Pat Quinn Classic – Tournament Dates and Divisions
- Pat Quinn Classic U15 Elite Invitational
- Nov. 16 – 19: U15 Elite
- Pat Quinn Classic
- Dec. 27 – 30: U15 Female Elite and U13 Female Elite
- Dec. 28 – 31: U17 Integrated Elite, U15 Integrated Flight 1, U15 Integrated Flight 2, U13 Integrated Elite, and U13 Integrated Flight 1
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.
After being cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pat Quinn Classic returned for a sixth edition in December 2022. In 2023, the tournament will feature an expanded format with two competition dates: November 16 to 19 and December 27 to 31.
MEDIA CONTACT: info@patquinnclassic.com