We've reached Boxing Day, and that can only mean one thing (in hockey circles, anyway): It's time for the IIHF World Junior Championship.
This annual tournament was reinstated to its rightful post-Christmas scheduling last December following a pair of pandemic-disrupted versions. The well-received return pleased players and fans alike who've reliably turned up each year for a showcase of the sport's brightest young stars.
Before diving into details of the 2024 event, let's take a look back at what happened in 2023.
Originally set to be hosted in Novosibirsk, Russia, the tournament was moved to the Canadian cities of Moncton, New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia after the International Olympic Committee called for Russia to be stripped of its international hosting rights amid its invasion of Ukraine.