The Toronto Marlboros International Holiday Classic that ran December 26 – December 30 throughout Toronto, showcased some of the very best talent that minor hockey has to offer, as well as some of the brightest, future stars the game is eyeing.
An annual event for over twenty years now, the Holiday Classic has grown into one of the largest and most successful tournaments of its kind. This statement was validated, when The Hockey News recognized the Toronto Marlboro Holiday Classic as one of the top five hockey tournaments in North America, and this year’s event only added to that reputation.
An astounding 168 AAA hockey teams competed across three age groups (Minor Bantam, Major Bantam and Minor Midget), for the right to be called the Holiday Classic’s Champions. Once again it was a ‘must’ event for not only Canadian travel teams, but international teams alike with representation on the ice coming from the likes of Dallas, Texas (Dallas Alliance) and Moscow, Russia (Moscow Dynamo).
This year’s event played host to over 3,200 players and coaches, and with names like John Taveres, Jason Spezza and Canadian Olympian, Rick Nash found in programs from tournament’s past, there is no doubt that this event was heavily represented by hockey scouts at all levels.
Tournament director Michael Chraba, estimates that over the course of the tournament close to 250 scouts were on hand from the various junior hockey ranks, all the way to affiliate scouts in the NHL.
It goes without saying that an event of this magnitude requires an abundance of planning to be considered a home run. Chraba and the Marlboro staff began planning for the Holiday Classic in early February and didn’t stop until the final buzzer sounded. In addition to the Marlboro staff, the hard work of 25 committed volunteers and parents, who Chraba says, “are integral to the success of the event” allowed the event to once again, be the standard for which all other tournaments are measured.
Remarkably, this year’s event iced an all GTHL (Greater Toronto Hockey League) final across all three age groups. Even more impressive is the fact that all three Toronto Marlboro’s teams in the Holiday Classic earned a spot in the finals for their respective age groups. An accomplishment that not only speaks to the continued success of the Marlboro organization, but the strength of the GTHL in general.
The 2009 Toronto Marlboro Holiday Classic Winners:
Minor Bantam AAA: Vaughan Kings (Vaughan Kings 5 – Toronto Marlboros 3)
Major Bantam AAA: Don Mills Flyers (Don Mills Flyers 5 – Toronto Marlboros 1)
Minor Midget AAA: Toronto Marlboros (Toronto Marlboros 6 – Toronto Jr. Canadians 1)
Congratulations to the champions of this year’s Holiday Classic as well as all players who participated. Well Done!
For more details, complete tournament results and a list of all teams involved, visit: http://www.torontomarlboros.com/ and click on the Tournament Section.
ExerciseToronto.Com Staff.
