Jr. Avs Have Unforgettable Experience at Quebec International Pee-Wee Tournament

The Jr. Avs had the experience of a lifetime when they participated in the 65th Quebec International Pee-Wee Tournament.

Along the way, the Jr. Avs met teams from around the world, from Kazakhstan to Zurich, Switzerland. They exchanged commemorative pins with teams from all over the world to bring home as keepsakes.

“Sending a 12U AA team to represent the Colorado Avalanche as the Jr. Avs in the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament is a tradition that has lasted over 25 years,” Taylor Patrick, Event Manger, Youth Hockey Development, said. “We are thrilled to continue offering this incredible opportunity to the Colorado hockey community.”

The Jr. Avs were on the ice nearly every day during their time in Quebec. They played tournament and exhibition games at Videotron Centre and even used the skating path at the mall. Additionally, they attended a Quebec Remparts game to take in QMJHL action from the same ice that they played on.

The team also played in an exhibition game called "The MacKinnon Cup" against the 12U Cole Harbour team coached by Paul Mason. Coach Mason was also there when Sidney Crosby and Nathan MacKinnon played for the 12U team. The two superstars then sent both teams a video after the game.

Additionally, they took part in incredible cultural experiences. The team took a bus tour of Old Quebec, a city rich in history. They also took a tour of the Ice Hotel, or Hôtel de Glace, where the entire hotel is made of ice and snow. They went to dinner at a sugar shack, where they were served breakfast for dinner with everything covered in maple syrup. To add to their incredible experience, the team went dog sledding and learned about the alpha dogs.

Another highlight of the tournament was the experience of staying with billet families.

“My favorite thing about my billet family is the kindness in their hearts and their golden retriever,” No. 34 Jack Cope said.

See more postcards here.

Travelling nearly 2,000 miles from Denver to Quebec was well worth it for the Jr. Avs, who had a two-week experience they’ll always remember.

“We decided that our favorite part of the trip was playing competitive teams from all around the world and living like a local,” the Jr. Avs wrote in their final postcard of the tournament.