Women's hockey world championship headed to Utica, N.Y. in 2024

Canada will play the 2024 women's hockey world championship on rival territory.

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and USA Hockey announced on Sunday that next year's event will take place in Utica, N.Y., at the Adirondack Bank Center and the Utica University Nexus Center.

It's the fifth time the event will be held in the U.S., and the first time since 2017.

Former NHL goalie Robert Esche, who represented the U.S. in international competition nine time during his career, will head up the organizing committee.

"It's an absolute honour to host such a prestigious event," he said. "I know how special it is and how much it means to everybody and we want to make sure that on our end … we do the very best by all of you."

The current U.S. women's team will look to return home with gold medals around their necks after Sunday's championship final against Canada in Brampton, Ont.,

Meanwhile, IIHF president Luc Tardif also announced the creation of women's and men's player of the year awards, which will be handed out for the first time in June.

The awards will be voted on by media (70 per cent share) and the IIHF (30 per cent). Tardif said he hopes to include fans in the voting process moving forward.

Any player who competes in at least one IIHF tournament and in "a domestic league of the highest calibre" will be eligible.

It is unclear whether the IIHF considers the Professional Women's Hockey Players' Association's Dream Gap Tour to meet those criteria. If not, it would rule out nearly the entire Canadian and U.S. rosters.

CBC Sports has contacted the IIHF to ask for clarification on the criteria.

Tardif said he is monitoring the progress of the PWHPA's reportedly incoming formal pro league, but "that's not our