Founded 63 years ago, the annual Quebec Pee-Wee Tournament is a rite of passage that several generations of young hockey players have experienced in their journeys within the sport.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 Cam York, Joel Farabee, Tyson Foerster and Cal Petersen all played in the tournament as youths. Additionally, locally born current NHL players Mattias Samuelsson and Cayden Primeau, whose fathers are Flyers Alumni, represented the Flyers Quebec Pee Wees in the tourney.
The 2024 edition of the Flyers Quebec Pee Wees is coached by Andrew Lawrie. His assistants are Ben Souders and former Phantoms and Trenton Titans (ECHL) player Tyler Hostetter. The team leader is Rob Baer, the Flyers Senior Director of Community Relations and Hockey Development programs.
"Every year is something new to look forward to, because we get to see a different group of young players experience the tournament on and off the ice. Tournament alumni look back on it as one of the best experiences of their youth hockey day," Baer said.
"Even the players who've gone on to play professionally are reminded immediately, when they see the excitement and enthusiasm of the kids, to how they felt when they participated years earlier."
On Tuesday evening when the Flyers hosted the Tampa Bay Lightning at the Wells Fargo Center, the 2024 Flyers Pee Wee Team was introduced during a TV timeout to receive a warm ovation from the crowd of 17,937 fans in attendance. After the game, the young players were escorted down to the Flyers' brand new locker room area.
There, they were met by York, who is featured on the Flyers Quebec Team's pin this year. York recalled playing in the Quebec Pee-Wee tourney for the Anaheim Jr. Ducks back in 2014.
The Flyers Quebec Pee Wee players marved at the highlight reel goal York scored in Tuesday's game against Tampa Bay, as he followed up his own initially blocked shot attempt by batting the airborne puck into the net. He jokingly credited his Little League Baseball experience in California for the hand-eye coordination it took to score the goal.
On the evening of January 29 (7:00 p.m. ET), the 2024 Flyers Quebec Pee Wee Team will play in the annual Alumni Game at Wells Fargo Center. The 2024 squad will take on last year's team.
From there, this year's team will hold its final pre-departure practice at Hatfield Ice before leaving together for Montreal on February 8. Upon arrival in Quebec, the team will spend the night in Montreal.
The next morning, the Flyers Quebec team will play an exhibition game against the Montreal Canadiens team. After the game, the Flyers Quebec team will make a three-hour trip to Quebec City. Players and parents will meet the billet families at a Friday evening reception, and players will begin staying with their host families that night.
Tournament play starts on February 10 with a game against the Long Island Stars. There will be exhibition games the next two days (against the St. Louis Blues Quebec Pee Wee team and the Ridge Meadow Rustlers of British Columbia before single elimination tourney play begins on Valentine's Day. A win on Feb. 14 means advancing to the next round on the following day.
The Flyers 2024 Quebec Pee Wee team roster includes Flyers anthemist Lauren Hart's son, Bek Hart-Carmichael (No. 27). The full numerical roster is as follows:
8 James Pfeiffer
9 Blake Boucher
11 David Shvartsman
13 Brady Bell
16 Luca Brunetti
17 Rogen Zucchero
18 Gavin Lombardi
19 Will O'Brien
22 Jackson Cliggett
25 Ryan Griffith
27 Bek Hart-Carmichael
29 Broc Eardley
34 Jack Koslosky
36 Christopher DeFeo
59 William MacLean
61 Colin Becker
77 Brooks Beach
97 Ryan Jacobs
98 Roman Iannuzzi
