IIHF President Luc Tardif met with the media on Thursday morning in Beijing to discuss the Winter Olympic Games and give updates on key topics in the world of international hockey.

Among the things discussed was the plan to reschedule the 2022 World Junior Championships to be played in Alberta in August…

The 2022 WJC in Edmonton and Red Deer kicked off back in December but only lasted a few days before getting canceled due to multiple positive COVID-19 tests. The three days’ worth of games were also played with a limited capacity, as the highest attendance was Canada’s 6-3 win over Czechia in Edmonton, which featured 4,526 fans.

Playing the World Juniors in August could present a challenge for some players who are going to be attending NHL training camps in September. It also means that these top prospects won’t have a chance to play the World Juniors before their NHL draft class, which is scheduled for June.

Still, having the tournament in August is better than having no tournament at all. By the time August rolls around, the COVID-19 situation won’t be as challenging to navigate as it was back in December and January, so there likely won’t be daily tests for players before games or capacity restrictions in the stands.