When the U SPORTS All-Stars rolled through TD Place in December for a two-game series against the 2025 IIHF World Juniors Canadian Selection Camp roster, they did so with their eyes on the FISU Games in Italy, but for many, it provided a taste of what they hope to experience in March.

The Arena at TD Place will play host to the 63rd edition of the U SPORTS University Cup in March, the national championship for men’s hockey.

Of the eight teams to participate, only one has been confirmed for certain: the host Ottawa Gee-Gees. Franky Lapenna, one of the Garnet and Grey goaltenders is excited about calling TD Place home, but is unwilling to settle for backing into the tournament.

“It’s really exciting,” he said. “Hosting the University Cup is obviously a great privilege, but we want to earn our way there. We’re half satisfied with the way our first half went, and we think we’ve got a lot more. So it’s just about gearing up, getting ready for the nationals and earning our seat.”

With a 10-7 record at the break, the Gee-Gees are fifth in the OUA, led by Lepenna — a former Gatineau Olympique — in goal, and former Ottawa 67’s defencemen Peter Stratis.

Along with other former major junior stars in Andrew Belchamber and Mathieu Desgagnés, the Gee-Gees are happy with where they stand thus far in 2024-25, but know the work is far from over.

“We’ve had a lot of adversity injury-wise, but those are not excuses,” Lapenna said. “We had a good next-man-up philosophy, and we split a lot of the games with the big contenders on our side.”

At the top of the OUA are the Concordia Stingers, who are tied with the powerhouse UNB Reds for the top record across all of U SPORTS at 16-2. In its history — including before the merger of Loyola College and Sir George Williams University — Concordia has never been crowned University Cup champions, but that’s something they hope to change in 2025.

“I think all the boys are buying in and playing hard every night,” said former Rimouski Océanic and Onlymipues forward Mathieu Bizier. “We have pretty good talents at Concordia. It’s pretty fun to see, and right now we’re still buzzing.”

“I’ve been here for three years, and that’s always something that we wanted to do, and something in our heads. We missed one of my first years, we missed in PEI, but I think this year we can do something big, and it’s a goal that we really want to achieve.”

Nipping at Concordia’s heels through 18 games are the Queen’s Gaels, trailing by only four points.

“We’ve come together as a team back at Queen’s,” said Nolan Hutcheson, the OUA’s leading goal scorer. “Maybe it wasn’t expected going the season with us being younger and losing a lot of star power up front, but I think the guys have clicked in the locker room, and it’s showing on the ice.”

Queen’s, of course, boasts a roster featuring a pair of former 67’s, with both Lucas Peric and Cameron Tolnai playing important roles for their team.

“I love Cam, he’s a great guy on and off the ice,” Hutcheson said. “He’s a smart player, and we’ve clicked in the last couple of months together. He makes great plays, and I just go to the net with my stick on the ice.”

Lapenna, familiar with The Arena at TD Place from both his time in major junior and U SPORTS, is eager for the opportunity to play a marquee championship in the building.

“It’s a really, really nice facility,” Lapenna said. “It makes me think about my time in major junior and playing against the 67’s with Gatineau, and it’s a really nice rink, great for nationals, so we’re really excited.”

For others, it’s a great spot they think they can earn plenty of fan support, both from their die-hard supporters, and from the locale in Ottawa,

“It’s exciting,” Bizier said. “We’re close to Montreal here, and it’s a pretty nice barn. It’s a goal we have as a team at Concordia, and we’ll keep working toward that goal.”

Ticket packages for the University Cup are available here. Single-game tickets go on sale on January 16th.