Grand Forks to Host 2016 World U18 Championships

USA Hockey announced that they will make a "major announcement" on Friday. I know what you're thinking. Usually when USA Hockey sends out a "major announcement" press release, it means that something you don't care about will be hosted in Buffalo, a city that you do not care about. Not the case this time though.

The announcement will be held at the Ralph Englestad Arena in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and Brad Schlossman of the Grand Forks is reporting that the REA will host the 2016 World U-18 championships:

USA set to announce Friday that the World Under-18 tournament will be in Grand Forks in April 2016.

— Brad E. Schlossman (@SchlossmanGF) October 29, 2014

The 2016 World U18s means players born in 1998 or later will be eligible. That means the good majority of the US entrant in the tournament will be this year's NTDP U17 team. Being an IIHF event, the rest of the world sends their best talent as well, with the exception of Canada, who doesn't take CHL players still playing in their playoffs.

This will be the second time the World U18s has been held in North Dakota. The 2009 tournament was held at the Urban Plains Center in Fargo, with the United States winning the gold medal 6-5 over Russia in the championship game.