For the first time in 26 years, the Memorial Cup tournament will be hosted by our southern neighbors in the United States.
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On Wednesday, the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) announced that Spirit, based out of Saginaw, a Michigan city, will host the prestigious competition in 2024.
This is the first time this team has hosted the event and the fifth time the Memorial Cup has been at stake in the United States. The Spokane Chiefs (1998), Seattle Thunderbirds (1992), and Portland Winterhawks (1986 and 1983) were the other clubs that hosted the tournament.
The Spirit was born to the Niagara IceDogs, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and Kingston Frontenacs preferred.
This is the first time since 2017 that an Ontario Junior Hockey League (OHL) team will host the Memorial Cup. The Ontario Circuit was scheduled to host it in 2021, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of that edition.
This year, the Kamloops Blazers, a team from the Western Junior Hockey League, will host the three other teams that qualified for the competition that crowns the CHL champion.