The Viking Cup was a world ice hockey tournament in Camrose, Alberta . In 2002 there was a mix of international and Canadian junior leagues allstar teams but in 2004 there was only international junior teams. In 2006, the tournament was divided into two divisions: a junior division and a university division. The university tournament consisted of Augustana, the University of Lethbridge , and Guelph University .
Augustana University College (formerly Camrose Lutheran College), the tournament attracted teams from Sweden , Finland , the former Czechoslovakia , the Soviet Union , the United States , Norway , the Czech Republic , and Slovakia . The tournament was one of the first to attract the Soviet juniors to North America .
The players are billeted by local families, living with them for the 2 to 3 weeks the tournament occurs. The tournament enjoys great support from the community as many others volunteer to assist with the tournament.
Notable NHLers to have appeared in the tournament include Dominik Hasek , Petr Klima , Sergei Zubov , Milan Hejduk , and Darius Kasparaitis . Well over a hundred Viking Cup alumni have played in the NHL and many more have been drafted. It is popular amongst scouts because it brings together a large selection of undrafted European and North American players.
Problems developed in the late 1990s as the Canadian Jr. A teams, which were popular with fans, were allowed to play with some 20 year old players. This upset the European teams (which were all Under-18) and led to unbalanced games with the North American teams dominating their younger European opponents.
The Cup tournament is no longer run, the victim of high costs and lowered local interest.
Year
Fourth
Participating Teams (in order of final result)
Future NHLers
1981
TPS Turku Juniors (Finland) 8
Prince Albert Raiders (SJHL ) 6
Red Deer College Kings (ACAC ) 6
Centennial College Colts (OCAA ) 3
TPS Turku Juniors (Finland), Prince Albert Raiders (SJHL ), Red Deer College Kings (ACAC ), Centennial College Colts (OCAA ), AIK Juniors (Sweden ), Camrose Lutheran College Vikings (ACAC )
James Patrick , Hannu Virta , Dave Tippett , Mats Thelin , and Greg Paslawski
1982
CSSR Junior Selects 11
Prince Albert Raiders (SJHL ) 3
Vastra Frolunda Juniors (Sweden ) 7
Camrose Lutheran College Vikings (ACAC ) 3
CSSR Junior Selects , Prince Albert Raiders (SJHL ), Vastra Frolunda Juniors (Sweden ), Camrose Lutheran College Vikings (ACAC ), SAIT Trojans (ACAC ), Revelstoke Rockets
Petr Klima , Dominik Hasek , Mikael Andersson , David Pilon
1984
NAIT Ooks (ACAC ) 3
CSSR Junior Selects 0
Camrose Lutheran College Vikings (ACAC ) 7
St. Paul Vulcans (USHL ) 5
NAIT Ooks (ACAC ), CSSR Junior Selects , Camrose Lutheran College Vikings (ACAC ), St. Paul Vulcans (USHL ), IFK Juniors (Finland), St. Albert Saints (AJHL )
David Volek
1986
NAIT Ooks (ACAC ) 5
Camrose Lutheran College Vikings (ACAC ) 1
CSSR Juniors 15
Karpat Juniors (Finland) 5
NAIT Ooks (ACAC ), Camrose Lutheran College Vikings (ACAC ), CSSR Juniors , Karpat Juniors (Finland), AIK Juniors (Sweden ), Notre Dame Hounds (SJHL )
Kevin Lovsin , Dean Clark , Frantisek Kucera
1988
University of Alberta Golden Bears (CIAU ) 6
CSSR Junior Selects 2
USSR Junior Selects 7
AIK Juniors (Sweden ) 4
University of Alberta Golden Bears (CIAU , CSSR Junior Selects , USSR Junior Selects , AIK Juniors (Sweden ), Camrose Lutheran College Vikings (ACAC ), Red Deer College Kings (ACAC ), TPS Juniors (Finland), University of Arizona Ice Cats
Sergei Zubov , Roman Turek , Brent Severyn , Igor Korolev , Alexander Godynyuk , Bobby Holik , Andrei Kovalenko
1990
McGill University Redmen (CIAU ) 6
CSSR Junior Selects 3
USSR Junior Selects 5
University of Lethbridge Pronghorns (CIAU ) 3
McGill University Redmen (CIAU ), CSSR Junior Selects , USSR Junior Selects , University of Lethbridge Pronghorns (CIAU ), Red Deer College Kings (ACAC ), Camrose Lutheran College Vikings (ACAC )
Boris Mironov , Sergei Zholtok , Martin Straka , Jozef Stumpel , Robert Petrovicky , Milan Hnilicka , Darius Kasparitis , Žigmund Pálffy
1992
University of New Brunswick Red Devils (CIAU ) 4,
CIS Junior Selects 2
NAIT Ooks (ACAC ) 3
CFSR Junior Selects 2
University of New Brunswick Red Devils (CIAU ), CIS Junior Selects , NAIT Ooks (ACAC ), CFSR Junior Selects , Farjestad Elite Juniors (Sweden ), Augustana University College Vikings (ACAC )
Sergei Brylin , Pavol Demitra , Jozef Cierny , Andrei Nazarov , Sergei Gonchar , David Vyborny
1994
Russia National Junior "18" Selects 7
Dauphin Kings (MJHL ) 1
Mount Royal College Cougars (ACAC ) 6
Vastra Frolunda Juniors (Sweden ) 3
Russia National Junior "18" Selects , Dauphin Kings (MJHL , Mount Royal College Cougars (ACAC ), Vastra Frolunda Juniors (Sweden ), Czech Republic National Junior "18" Selects , Augustana University College Vikings (ACAC ), Finland National Junior "18" Selects , Augsburg College Auggies (NCAA )
Milan Hejduk , P.J. Axelsson , Jan Hrdina , Patrick Elias , Vaclav Varada , Tomas Vokoun
1996
Finland Junior "18" Selects 6
USA Junior "20" B Selects 2
Augustana University College Vikings (ACAC ) 6
AJHL All-Star Selects 5
Finland Junior "18" Selects , USA Junior "20" B Selects , Augustana University College Vikings , AJHL All-Star Selects , Czech Republic Junior "18" Selects , North Battleford North Stars (SJHL ), Russia Junior "18" Selects , Sweden Junior "18" Selects
Mika Noronen , Kristian Huselius , Olli Jokinen , Oleg Kvasha , Fernando Pisani , Maxim Afinogenov , Niko Kapanen , Andrei Markov
1998
SJHL All-Star Selects 5
AJHL All-Star Selects 1
Finland Junior 18 Selects 4
Slovakia Junior 19 Selects 1
SJHL All-Star Selects , AJHL All-Star Selects , Finland Junior 18 Selects , Slovakia Junior 19 Selects , Sweden Junior 18 Selects , Czech Republic Junior 18 Selects , USA Junior 18 Selects , Augustana University College Vikings (ACAC )
Henrik Zetterberg , Ossi Vaananen , Jordan Leopold , Milan Kraft , Mike Comrie , David Tanabe , Christian Backman , Christian Berglund , Mark Hartigan , Antero Niittymaki , Mattias Weinhandl
2000
USA Junior 19 Selects 5
AJHL All-Star Selects 2
Sweden Junior 18 Selects 5
Manitoba Junior Hockey League ’sManitoba Pride 4
USA Junior 19 Selects , AJHL All-Star Selects , Sweden Junior 18 Selects , MJHL Pride , SJHL All-Star Selects , Augustana University College Vikings (ACAC ), BCHL All-Star Selects , Czech Republic Junior 18 Selects , Finland Junior 18 Selects , Slovakia Junior 19 Selects
David Hale , Kari Lehtonen , Tomas Plekanec , Tuomo Ruutu
2002
Augustana University College Vikings (ACAC ) 5
BCHL All-Star Selects 4
AJHL All-Star Selects 7
Manitoba Junior Hockey League ’sManitoba Pride 3
Augustana University College Vikings (ACAC ), BCHL All-Star Selects , AJHL All-Star Selects , MJHL All-Star Selects , USA National Junior Selects , SJHL All-Star Selects , Czech Republic Junior 18 Selects , Finland Junior 18 Selects , Sweden Junior 18 Selects , Slovakia Junior 19 Selects
Jeff Tambellini
2004
Finland Junior 18 Selects 8
USA National Junior Selects 2
Slovakia Junior 18 Selects 4
Czech Republic Junior 17 Selects 1
Finland Junior 18 Selects , USA National Junior Selects , Slovakia Junior 18 Selects , Czech Republic Junior 17 Selects , Augustana University College Vikings , Switzerland Junior 18 Selects , Germany Junior 18 Selects , Norway Junior 18 Selects
Tuukka Rask
2006 - University Pool
University of Guelph Gryphons (CIS )
Augustana University College Vikings (ACAC )
University of Lethbridge Pronghorns (CIS )
N/A
University of Guelph Gryphons (CIS ), Augustana University College Vikings (ACAC ), University of Lethbridge Pronghorns (CIS )
2006 - Junior Pool
AJHL North All-Stars 4
AJHL South All-Stars 3
USA Under-18 Selects 6
Switzerland Junior Selects 2
AJHL North All-Stars , AJHL South All-Stars , USA Under-18 Selects , Switzerland Junior Selects , Finland Junior Selects , Germany Junior Selects , Slovakia Junior Selects
Trevor Lewis , Kyle Okposo
TOURNAMENT MVPs: Hannu Virta (TPS)Petr Klima (CSSR)Cleo Rowein (NAIT)Mark Schultz (NAIT)Brent Severyn (U of A)Jamie Reeve (McGill)Sergei Brylin (CIS)Sergei Luchinkin (Russia)Olli Jokinen (Finland)Mark Hartigan (SJHL)Rick Gorman (USA)Jeff Tambellini (BCHL)Tuukka Rask (Finland)*Patrick Ouelette (AUC)
TOP GOALTENDER: Jouni Rokama (TPS)Dominik Hasek (CSSR)Ivo Capek (CSSR)Radek Toth (CSSR)Roman Turek (CSSR)Jiri Podesva (CSSR)Chris Somers (UNB)Anton Zelenov (Russia)Jani Riihinen (Finland)Rob Schrader (SJHL)Henrik Lundqvist (Sweden)Chad Rycroft (AUC)Tuukka Rask (Finland)*Ken Ritson (Guelph)Kyle Richter (AJHL South)
- the first player to win both MVP and Top Goaltender Awards
