The 2020 World Junior championships will be played in the Edmonton bubble.

The IIHF made the announcement Thursday after seeing the success that the NHL has had with its bubbles in Edmonton and Toronto.

“This is a tough decision to have to take, but ultimately we did not have a choice,” said IIHF President René Fasel in a statement. “The health and safety of players, officials, and fans is our top priority. We were impressed with the presentation from the local organizing committee outlining how a potential “bubble” scenario would operate within Edmonton, and we are confident that we can follow the NHL’s great example in creating a safe environment for teams to compete.”

Adjustments to the playing schedule will need to be made, the IIHF said, largely due to having one host city for the games, but more specific announcements are expected at a later date.

Canucks prospect Vasili Podkolzin is expected to be one of the best players at the tournament playing for team Russia. At last years tournament, he scored one goal and five points in seven games.

Nils Hoglander will not be eligible for this year’s tournament due to his December birthdate.

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