Saskatoon, Regina joining forces to bring world junior tournament back to Sask.

As the Blades and Pats battle each other in the first round of the Western Hockey League playoffs, Saskatoon and Regina are getting chummy off the ice.

Saskatchewan’s two largest cities are putting aside their hockey rivalry to bid on hosting the 2025 world junior hockey championship.

“After 15 years, we are ready to do it again,” SaskTel Centre CEO John Howden told a City of Saskatoon committee meeting Wednesday.

“I’m very confident that this event will be a success, just like in 2010. At that time (it was) the most successful world juniors ever produced.”

Howden, along with representatives from Discover Saskatoon and the chamber of commerce, spoke at the meeting to ask the city for $500,000 contingent on Saskatoon being selected as the host city. The funding request received unanimous approval.

While Saskatoon and Regina ultimately lost hosting rights to the 2023 tournament to Halifax and Moncton, Howden said it speaks volumes that the Saskatchewan cities were approached by Hockey Canada to bid again.

“We believe we are a serious contender, and our work on the 2023 bid showed that,” Howden said. “Hockey Canada, I think, looked at our bid and felt we should be in the running for this one as well.”

As part of the bid, Saskatoon would host 21 of the games of the tournament, including all Team Canada and playoff games.

Five other communities would host pre-tournament games.

Discover Saskatoon CEO Stephanie Clovechok said the event would attract over 20,000 people to Saskatoon and generate roughly $50 million in economic activity for the province.

The Saskatchewan bid will be submitted to Hockey Canada by April 24.

At least two other cities are said to be considering making a pitch to land the tournament.