Be Part of Hockey History: The Great Minnesota Puck Pass
Your chance to be part of the Official IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship Host City Handoff
Minnesota! It's time to pass the puck, hit record, and be part of history.
As we prepare to receive our official “pass” from Ottawa to the State of Hockey to serve as host of the iconic 2026 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Junior Hockey Championship, we're inviting hockey fans across Minnesota to be part of a crowd-sourced video campaign to celebrate the historic moment.
Officially dubbed The Great Minnesota Puck Pass, fan-submitted content will be compiled into a video montage alongside well-known Minnesotans and hockey legends that showcases our state’s rich hockey tradition and passion for the sport.
The video will premiere as part of the ceremonial passing of the event to Minnesota at the close of the 2025 tournament in January in Ottawa. It will also be shared online, on social media platforms, in-arena in Ottawa and Minnesota, and with the media.
The Challenge
Submit a short video (5 - 10 seconds) of yourself taking part in one of the following ways:
- Passing an imaginary puck (more on this below)
- Tracking an imaginary puck being passed across the screen (again, details below)
- Participating in a favorite hockey pastime, perhaps with teammates, friends or family
Use a video camera, smartphone or tablet. No professional gear necessary. Ideally, use a stand or have someone film you. Submit your video by December 16, 2024 (video submission link can be found below). Selected clips will be edited together to create a video that highlights all that’s awesome about hockey in Minnesota and officially passes the tournament from Ottawa to Minnesota.
Instructions
Participate 1 of 3 Ways:
- Film Your Pass
- Record in landscape mode (horizontal)
- Catch and pass an imaginary puck using a hockey stick (watch example)
- Imaginary puck enters from the left side of frame (your right side)
- Pass the imaginary puck smoothly to exit on the right (your left side)
- Frame it so that we do not see your feet
- Wear your favorite Minnesota hockey gear
- Film Yourself Tracking A Puck
- Record in landscape mode (horizontal)
- Record yourself tracking the puck with your eyes (watch example)
- Look from your right to your left like you are tracking a puck across the horizon with your eyes
- Wear your favorite Minnesota hockey gear
- Film Yourself Participating in a Favorite Hockey Tradition
- Record in landscape mode (horizontal)
- Record a brief video (5-10 seconds) of you and your friends or family participating in one of your favorite hockey traditions.
- We’ve included some inspiration below, but feel free to come up with your own idea! The goal is to showcase hockey culture and Minnesota's deep history with and love of the sport
Guidelines
- Videos should be 10 seconds or less
- Clear, high-quality footage (1080p recommended)
- Natural outdoor or indoor lighting
- No music or special effects
Helpful Tips
- Watch the sample videos for ideas on how best to frame your shot.
- Avoid wearing clothing that is all black, all white or shirts with tight patterns, as these may not look good on camera.
- Choose any location you like, but the more iconic to Minnesota and hockey, the better (e.g., a local landmark, museum, statue, arena, outdoor rink, sign, water tower, etc.) Outdoors works better than indoors.
- Don't position yourself with a bright light source to your back. If you film at night, make sure you can be seen.
- Try several takes and send us your best version.
Inspiration
- Wear and/or use hockey gear if you have it - helmets, jerseys, gloves, sticks, pucks, pads, etc.
- Wear your favorite Minnesota (youth, high school, junior, college, sled, rec, roller, professional, etc.) or Team USA jersey
- Got hockey hair? Mullet? "Golden" blonde? Did somebody say perm? Maybe your beard is the real winner. Either way, run your hands through your salad as you look from right to left. Or give us a shot of you and your buddies combing through your lovely locks. Get a hair dryer in on the action!
- Open a hockey bag and show us how "sweet" it smells - peeeewwww!
- Showcase "Minnesota Nice" and form a handshake line with your friends – and foes!
- Let's see your best "celly" celebration. Here's some pro inspo: Montreal, NY Ranger
- Take a sip or eat cereal out of your favorite trophy, like a Stanley Cup champ!
- Film a faceoff between your pals at center ice or wherever you like to play.
- Outdoor rink or road hockey, brah! Put the sticks in the middle and film them getting divided up.
- Simulate a hat trick celly with a group of friends tossing hats in the air.
- Show off your stick-taping or puck-dangling skills.
- Trick shots anybody?
- Grab your favorite Zamboni® driver and film them driving the machine from the left side of your screen to the right.
- Road trip! Film those overstuffed hockey bags being tossed in the back of a car as you prepare to depart for the next game.
- Show us your "Flying V"
- This one's an empty netter: Send us some footage from a youth hockey game. A brief snippet of a great play or celebration.
- Most importantly: smile and have fun!
Submit Your Video
- Upload your video using the form below
- Include your name and hometown
- Deadline to submit: December 16, 2024
Videos accepted through December 16, 2024.
FAQs
Will I be notified if my video is selected? We will not be sending out notification emails to those who consent to uploading their video, nor those chosen for the video. In order to see if your video has been chosen for the final cut, please check mnsportsandevents.org on January 5, 2025 when the official puck pass video is published.
When and where will I see the final video? The final video will be published on our website on January 5, 2025. It will be announced on our social media channels.
Can I shoot this using a cell phone camera? We encourage you to use your phone! Nothing could be easier. We accept all video quality (although high resolution is preferred) and do not expect these videos to be shot professionally.
Do I need to be 18 years old? You can participate at any age so long as you’ve read and acknowledged our legal disclaimer. Those under 18 years of age must have an adult read and acknowledge the legal disclaimer.
Selection Process
Our production team will choose clips at their discretion that help us create the best video possible. Selected participants will be featured in the official IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship host handoff video.
Questions? Contact us at info@mnsportsandevents.org.
The 2026 IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship will be held at the Xcel Energy Center, home of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild in Saint Paul, and 3M Arena at Mariucci on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis from December 26, 2025 - January 5, 2026.
