Moncton awarded 2024 Top Prospects Game

The Moncton Wildcats will host the 2024 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.

The announcement was made Friday morning at the Avenir Centre. The annual event, which will be held Wednesday, Jan. 24, will take place in Atlantic Canada for just the second time (Halifax hosted in 2013).

“We are thrilled to bring the 2024 Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game to Moncton for the first time,” said Canadian Hockey League president Dan MacKenzie in a news release. “With a surplus of CHL talent eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft, we look forward to bringing the stars of tomorrow to the Maritimes.”

Here is Mr. Irving to announce that Jan 24, 2024 the @AvenirCentre & @monctonwildcats will host the @CHLHockey 2024 Kubota Top Prospects Game!

The ticket to this game will be INCLUDED to all Season Ticket Holders next season #TopProspectsGame #DefendTheDen pic.twitter.com/tfXQ9unlqN

— 🎙X-Wildcast Podcast 🎧 (@MonctonWildcast) March 24, 2023

Ticket information will be released in the fall.

While Halifax got much of the spotlight at this year's World Junior Hockey Championship, Moncton had a successful run as the "secondary host." The Avenir Centre is one of the finest junior hockey buildings in the country and you have to think the city will be welcoming a steady stream of events in the coming years.

That leads to the question: will the Wildcats bid to host the 2025 Memorial Cup? Hosting the Top Prospects Game is certainly a good test run and showcase for the organization.

In theory, it seems unlikely that a Maritime city would be the QMJHL's host for a third straight time (Halifax did it in 2019 and Saint John in 2022). The event hasn't been held in Quebec since 2015 (Quebec City). But, Moncton may be best positioned to host if they are interested.

Gatineau and the new Slush Puppie Centre would be a great option to host in 2025, but it's unlikely they will be able to create a competitive team by then. Same goes for Sherbrooke (although their arena may be a bit too small anyways). Chicoutimi would be a great host but their aging rink and Olympic sized ice sheet are an issue. Rimouski and Shawinigan could be options, but both are in the medium/small market size. Quebec City will always be on the CHL's radar but they just hosted in 2015 (although that was at the old Colisee Pepsi) and it's hard to say what the Remparts could look like in a couple years.

In the Maritimes, recent hosts Halifax and Saint John aren't options which... leaves Moncton as perhaps the best option in the QMJHL. Time will tell.

The 2025 Memorial Cup host will presumably be announced next spring.

The host of the 2024 Memorial Cup should be announced soon. Kingston, Sault Ste. Marie, Niagara and Saginaw all submitted bids. Pension Plan Puppets recently examined the four potential hosts.