Camrose will host the World Junior A Challenge in December, Hockey Canada announced Friday. The Alberta town will get the event for the second time since 2008, featuring top players from the Canadian Junior Hockey League, USHL and more.

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The tournament, which has often featured many high-profile NHL Draft-eligible players in years past, will be held Dec. 9-15 in Camrose at EnCana Arena, home of the Camrose Kodiaks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.

“Hosting a prestigious tournament like the Junior A World Challenge fosters a sense of pride and accomplishment. We know our community will come together, support the event and create an exciting atmosphere for fans and teams,” said tournament co-chair Boris Rybalka, who spent 26 years with the Camrose Kodiaks, most recently as the team's general manager, in a statement.

The full schedule and format for the tournament will be announced at a later date.

The event has typically included two Canadian teams representing Western and Eastern Canada, respectively, featuring predominantly players from CJHL rosters.  The United States entry has often exclusively included players from the USHL.

Last year’s event also included national teams from Sweden and Slovakia. In prior years, Russia, Czechia, Switzerland, Denmark, Belarus and Latvia have also sent teams as the tournament has taken on various formats since its inception in 2006.

Canada West won the tournament last year, beating Canada East in the final. USA took third place in the annual showcase of top Junior A players.

USA has won the tournament nine times, Canada West has taken the title six times and Russia won it once.

Per Hockey Canada, 300 NHL Draft picks have played in the World Junior A Challenge, including 45 first-rounders. It has often been a highly-scouted event, attended by representatives from every NHL team.

The World Junior A Challenge is a Hockey Canada-hosted event, held exclusively in Canada since 2006.

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