According to a statement from the Vancouver Canucks this morning, the Edmonton Oilers will not be participating in the Young Stars Classic next season.
»Unfortunately, we were unable to secure commitments from the other teams for next fall, so regrettably, we will not be hosting a Penticton Young Stars Tournament in 2025.
The organization will explore other opportunities with the city and has not closed the door on participating in a Young Stars tournament in future years.»
- Jim Rutherford
It's certainly disappointing news for hardcore hockey fans in Western Canada that this tournament won't be on next fall.
Edmonton Oilers Need Replacement For Young Stars Classic After Cancellation
The Oilers will also need to find a replacement for the actual event in the Young Stars classic.
It provided a valuable experience for the players to play against top level competition, but also for teams to evaluate their incoming rookies - and give chances to players who may have been previously overlooked.
In the last Young Stars Classic the Oilers unfortunately lost most games, being a contending team that has a relatively weaker prospect pool. Still, one invitee in Nate Corbet made some waves on the Oilers
Hopefully the Oilers are able to secure another prospect based tournament for their prospects and scouts to get similar work in. Perhaps it can be an all-Alberta matchup involving just the Oilers and Flames, allowing more local fans to attend.