It's time for the WJC again. This year it's in Ottawa and there are two Leafs prospects to watch. Easton Cowan will be top line on Team Canada, and Miroslav Holinka will be competing for Czechia.

As is tradition, the event begins on Boxing Day, and as is also tradition when the event is in Canada, Team Canada takes the evening slot in the larger arena. The venues this year are the Canadian Tire Centre, where the Ottawa Senators play, and TD Place where the Ottawa Charge and 67's are based.

Along with Canada in Group A and based in Kanata, are Finland, who they open the tournament against on Boxing Day, Germany, Latvia and the United States.

In the centre of the city Group B hosts Holinka and Czechia along with Kazakhstan, Slovakia, Sweden and Switzerland.

Groups are determined mostly by ranking, but it's good to have deep rivals Canada and USA in one group and Czechia and Slovakia in another, even if Sweden and Finland are split up.

Format

The IIHF uses the same format for most events. Each group plays off against each other, an exercise that eliminates only two teams who play each other to determine which team gets relegated. Denmark has already won promotion for next year.

The quarterfinals crossover between the groups with 1A playing 4B and 2A playing 3B, etc. The higher ranked team stays in their "home" rink, with the exception of Team Canada who play in the big house no matter what.

IIHF tournaments use a three-point system where the losing team in a tie game gets a point, the winner gets two, but a regulation win nets you three. Like the PWHL, in other words.

Overtime

Overtime rules always surprise people because there have been changes over the years. All games have three-on-three overtime. All games play 10-minutes of sudden death before a shootout. The only exception is the Gold-medal game where overtime is 20-minute sudden-death periods until the game is decided.

Shootout

The first round of the shootout is five shots, and each team has to use five different players. After than, they can use anyone they want in any order and repeat the same shooter over and over. Like the PWHL, in other words.

If you would like to learn about the tie-breaking formula for deciding group rankings, you can read it at the official site.

Schedule

IIHF - Schedule and Results 2025 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
Schedule and Results 2025 IIHF WORLD JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP
IIHF International Ice Hockey Federation

The highlights are the traditional New Year's Eve grudge match between Canada and the USA at 8 pm on the 31st. With a Czechia game leading in a 5pm. Czechia's grudge match game is on the 29th at 5 pm.

All Team Canada games are at 7:30 barring the New Year's Eve game.

Quarterfinals are on January 2, semifinals are on January 4 and the medal games are on January 5.

All games are on TSN in Canada, with the schedule available on their site. In the USA, NHL Network carries the games.

IIHF World Championships