There’s a lot of hockey in the Tournament Capital this weekend as KIBIHT has returned.

After two years off, the Kamloops International Bantam Ice Hockey Tournament opens across the city today.

There will be a total of 26 teams  competing over the five day event with three teams from Kamloops.

KIBIHT Director Rob Fryer says while they don’t have any international teams this year, they have a solid Canadian presence.

“One for sure out of Balgonie, Saskatchewan that is a perennial attendee. The we got numerous teams from all over Alberta as well. Edmonton, Calgary area, Airdrie, Red Deer, all those areas are coming again. Of course we have teams from British Columbia from Fort St John all the way to Victoria. Teams from all over BC so we’re super excited.”

In terms of the international teams Fryer says there isn’t any this year which he attributes to the COVID fall out. “We did have interest from a team from Iceland and of course some of the teams from the states. But they wanted to hold off for one more year before they started to come back. We totally appreciate that. But there is definitely interest in coming back to the tournament. With COVID and everybody still coming out of that, that’s the biggest reason for the non-international this year.”

Fryer notes there have been several scouts who have contacted organizers looking for packages. So there will definitely be eyes in the stands to see what some of these kids could potentially bring to the next level.

Opening ceremonies are Friday evening at the Mac Island Sports Centre, followed by the opening game in the AA bracket, which sees the home-town Thompson Blazers taking on the Balgonie Prairie Storm out of Saskatchewan.

The full tournament schedule is below: