Flyers Pee Wees Prepping for 2022 Quebec Tourney

After a one-year absence, the landmark annual Quebec International Pee-Wee Tournament will return in 2022. Last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the tournament was canceled for the first time in its 61-year history. Last September, organizers announced the 2022 edition would be held in February 2022 with strict COVID protocols in place. All players, team staff, spectators, volunteers, and host families are required to be fully vaccinated, with proof of vaccination required each time entering the Videotron Centre in Quebec City.
However, due to the sharp rise in cases from the Omicron variant and the renewal of large-scale restrictions within in the province of Quebec, the tournament was rolled back to May 1-15, 2022. As always, the Flyers Pee Wee Team will participate in the tournament.

"Normally we'd be ramping up with mini-camps and practices at the end of January, but with the tournament getting pushed to May, we've rescheduled most of our team activities until late April. It'll be different from our typical February experience where the kids attend the Winter Carnival, visit the snow park and play a ton of outdoor hockey, but everyone is excited for the opportunity to compete in Quebec City in May. I'm sure it will be amazing," said Rob Baer, the Flyers' organization's director of youth and amateur hockey programs.
The tournament formula in 2022 will be different from previous years. From May 1 to 8, the AA-Elite, AA and A teams will play their games and from May 9 to 15 the AAA (where the Flyers Pee Wees play), BB and Scholastic divisions will compete.
Apart from the experience of playing against a high grade of on-ice competition and the camaraderie of being part of a team, the tournament's participating players also obtain valuable life experiences.
"These kids have been looking forward to going to Quebec since we held open tryouts last June. We're so grateful that the organizers have found a way to host the Quebec International Pee Wee Tournament in 2022. We've had to roll with the punches as adjustments have been made, but all of our families have been very understanding."
The tournament is a rite of passage for the young players who participate. No matter the level of hockey at which players ultimately play, the Quebec tournament forges lifelong memories and friendships.
Current Flyers players Joel Farabee, Kevin Hayes, Martin Jones, Keith Yandle, Derick Brassard, Patrick Brown, and Sam Morinplayed in the tournament in their youth. Among local products who represented the Flyers Pee Wees are Chris and Peter Ferraro (1985-86), Havertown native Ryan Mulhern (1985-86), Phoenixville's Chris Bala (1992), Abington's Chad Kolarik (2000), Chester Springs product Matt Campanele (2001-2002), Bobby Sanguinetti (2002), current Lehigh Valley Phantoms defenseman Philip Samuelsson (2004), Anthony DeAngelo (2008), Ambler native and Flyers Alum David Sloane (1999) and Bucks County's Evan Barratt, a current Penn State player and Chicago Blackhawks prospect.
The Flyers Alumni Association has also been a big supporter of the Philadelphia Flyers Pee Wee team. The Flyers Alumni annually make a donation to help the team offset some of the costs associated with sending the squad to Quebec, as does Flyers Charities.
Additionally, many of the Flyers Alumni's own kids have represented the Philadelphia entry in the tournament. Past participants include Jake Schultz (2020) Tyler Boucher (2016), Carson Briere (2012), Kelton Hatcher (2012), Jagger LeClair (2012), Peter White (2012) and recent World Junior Championship silver medalists with Team USA, Cayden Primeau (2012) and current-day Buffalo Sabres defenseman Mattias Samuelsson (2013).