Ice Hockey World Championships
Encyclopedia
The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey
tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation
(IIHF). First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics
, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European Championships
, the precursor to the World Championships, were first held in 1910. The tournament
held at the 1920 Summer Olympics
is recognized as the first Ice Hockey World Championship. Between 1920 and 1968, the Olympic hockey tournament was also considered the World Championship for that year. The first World Championship that was held as an individual event was in 1930
in which twelve nations participated. In 1931
, ten teams played a series of round-robin format
qualifying rounds to determine which nations participated in the medal round. Medals were awarded based on the final standings of the teams in the medal round. This basic format would be used until 1992 (although small variations were made). In 1951, thirteen nations took part and were split into two groups. The top seven teams (Pool A) played for the World Championship. The other six (Pool B) played for ranking purposes. During a congress in 1990, the IIHF introduced a playoff system. As the IIHF grew, more teams began to participate at the World Championships, so more pools (later renamed divisions) were introduced.
The modern format for the World Championship features 16 teams in the championship group, 12 teams in Division I and 12 teams in Division II. If there are more than 40 teams, the rest compete in Division III. The teams in the championship play a preliminary round, then the top eight teams play in the playoff medal round and the winning team is crowned World Champion. Over the years, the tournament has gone through several rule
changes. In 1969 body-checking
in all three zones in a rink was allowed, helmet
s and goaltender masks became mandatory in the early 1970s and in 1992 the IIHF began using the shootout
. The current IIHF rules differ slightly from the rules used in the NHL
. The World Championships have been open to all players, both professional and amateur, since 1977. The IIHF requires that players are citizens of the country they represent and allow players to switch national teams provided that they play in their new nation for a certain period of time.
Canada was the tournament's first dominant team, winning the tournament 12 times between 1930 and 1952. The United States, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Great Britain and Switzerland were also competitive during this period. The Soviet Union first participated in 1954 and soon became rivals with Canada. From 1963 until the nation's breakup in 1991, the Soviet Union was the dominant team, winning 20 championships. During that period, only three other nations won medals: Canada, Czechoslovakia and Sweden. Russia first participated in 1992 and the Czech Republic and Slovakia began competing in 1993. In the 2000s, the competition became more open as the "big six" teams – Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Sweden, and the United States – as well as Slovakia became more evenly matched.
The 75th World Championship was held in Bratislava
and Košice
, Slovakia
. In the final, Finland defeated Sweden to win their second championship.
(IIHF), the sport's governing body
, was created on 15 May 1908 under the name Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace (LHG). In 1908, organised ice hockey was still relatively new; the first organised indoor ice hockey game took place on 3 March 1875 at Montreal's Victoria Skating Rink
. In 1887, four clubs from Montreal formed the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (AHAC) and developed a structured schedule. Lord Stanley
donated the Stanley Cup
and the trustees decided to award it to either the best team in the AHAC, or to any pre-approved team that won it in a challenge. the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association
(ECAHA) was formed in 1905, which mixed paid and amateur players in its rosters. The ECAHA eventually folded and as a result of the dissolution, the National Hockey Association
(NHA) formed.
The Ice Hockey European Championships
, first held in Les Avants
, Switzerland
in January 1910, were the precursor to the World Championships. It was the first official tournament meant for national teams, the participating nations were Great Britain, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland. In North America, professional hockey was continuing to grow, the National Hockey League
(NHL), the largest professional hockey league in the world, was formed in 1917. The European Championships were held for five consecutive years but were not held between 1915 and 1920 due to World War I
.
to be the first Ice Hockey World Championship. It was organized by a committee that included future IIHF president Paul Loicq
. The tournament was played from 23 April to 29 April. Seven teams participated: Canada, Czechoslovakia, the United States, Switzerland, Sweden, France and Belgium. Canada, represented by the Winnipeg Falcons
, won the gold medal, outscoring opponents 27–1. The United States and Czechoslovakia won the silver and bronze medals respectively. Following the 1921 Olympic Congress in Lausanne
, the first Winter Olympics
were held in 1924 in Chamonix
, France, though they were only officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee
(IOC) as such in the following year.
Subsequently, the Olympics and World Championships occurred concurrently, and every Olympic tournament until 1968
is counted as the World Championship. Canada won the gold medal at both the 1924 and 1928 Winter Olympics
. In 1928, the Swedish and Swiss teams won their first medals–silver and bronze, respectively–and a German
team participated for the first time, finishing ninth.
. It was held in Chamonix, France; Vienna
, Austria; and Berlin
, Germany. Canada, represented by the Toronto CCMs
, defeated Germany in the gold medal game, and Switzerland won the bronze. Canada, represented by the Manitoba Grads, won the following year
, and the Winnipeg Winnipegs won Gold for Canada at the 1932 Winter Olympics
. At the 1933 World Championships
in Prague
, Czechoslovakia, the United States won the gold medal, becoming the first non-Canadian team to win the competition. As of 2009, it is the only gold medal the United States has won at a non-Olympic tournament.
Two days before the 1936 Winter Olympics
in Germany, Canadian officials protested that two players on the British team—James Foster and Alex Archer
—had played in Canada but transferred without permission to play for clubs in the English National League
. The IIHF agreed with Canada, but Britain threatened to withdraw if the two could not compete. Canada withdrew the protest before the games started. Britain became the first non-Canadian team to win Olympic gold, with Germany taking bronze. Canada won the remainder of the World Championship tournaments held in the 1930s. The 1939 World Championships marked the first time that a team from Finland competed in the tournament. World War II
forced the cancellation of the 1940
and 1944 Winter Olympics
and the World Championships from 1941 to 1946.
Following World War II, Czechoslovakia's team was quickly improving. They won the 1947 World Championships
, although a Canadian team had not participated in the event. In 1949
, they became the third nation to win a World Championship tournament that Canada participated in. During the run-up to the 1948 Winter Olympics
in St. Moritz, Switzerland, a conflict broke out between the two American hockey bodies: the American Hockey Association (AHA) and the Amateur Athletic Union
(AAU). The AAU refused to support the AHA's team because they believed that AHA players were "openly paid salaries" and at the time, the Olympics were strictly for amateur players. A compromise was reached that the AHA team would be allowed to compete but would be considered unofficial and unable to win a medal. By the end of the tournament, the AHA team finished fourth in the standings but was disqualified. Both Czechoslovakia and the RCAF Flyers
of Canada won seven games and tied when they played each other. The gold medal winner was determined by goal difference
: Canada won the gold because they had an average of 13.8 compared to Czechoslovakia's average of 4.3.
At the 1952 Winter Olympics
in Oslo
, Norway
, the Edmonton Mercurys
won Canada's second consecutive Olympic gold medal. It was the last time that a Canadian team would win an Olympic gold medal in hockey for 50 years. The 1953 tournament
featured only three teams that played all of their games: Sweden, West Germany, Switzerland. Sweden finished the tournament undefeated and won their first World Championship.
The 1954 World Championships
has been described by the IIHF as "the start of the modern era of international hockey." It was the first year to feature the participation of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union had only begun playing ice hockey in 1946, having previously focused on bandy
. Led by coach Arkady Chernyshev
and consisting of the top players in the nation, the Soviets finished their first six games undefeated. Canada, represented by the East York Lyndhursts, was also undefeated and, in the final game of the tournament, the two teams met for the first time in international competition. The Soviet Union won the game 7–2, becoming the fifth team to win a World Championship tournament. The 1955 World Championship was held in West Germany, and the two teams again met in the final game of the tournament. The game was so high profile in Canada that announcer Foster Hewitt
flew to Germany to provide play-by-play coverage. Both teams were undefeated and Canada, represented by the Penticton Vees
, defeated the Soviets 5–0 to reclaim the World Championship. At the 1956 Winter Olympics
in Cortina d'Ampezzo
, Italy, Canada's Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen lost to both the Soviets and the United States in the medal round and won the bronze. The Soviets went undefeated and won their first Olympic ice hockey gold medal. It would be seven years until the Soviet Union won another World Championship.
The 1957 World Championships
were held in Moscow. Canada and the United States did not participate in protest of the Soviet occupation of Hungary
. Most of the games were held in the Luzhniki Sports Palace
, but the Soviet officials decided to hold the final game in a nearby outdoor soccer stadium
. The game was attended by at least 55,000 people, which stood as a World Championship attendance record until 2010
. In the final game, Sweden tied the Soviet Union to finish with six wins and one tie (the Soviet Union had five wins and two ties) and won the gold medal. Canada returned to the World Championship in 1958 and won two consecutive titles, with the Soviets winning silver both times. At the 1960 Winter Olympics
in Squaw Valley, California, Canada, the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and Sweden were the top four teams heading into the Games. All four were defeated by the American team, which won all seven games en route to its first Olympic gold medal.
In 1961, Czechoslovakia defeated the Soviet Union and tied Canada to make it a three-way race for gold. In the final game, Canada defeated the Soviets 5–1 to win their nineteenth gold medal. The Trail Smoke Eaters
became the final club team to represent Canada. The following year, Canada implemented a national team program, led by Father David Bauer. Canada would not win another world championship gold until 1994. In 1962, the World Championships were held in North America for the first time. The tournament was held in Denver, United States, and was boycotted by the Soviet and Czechoslovak teams. Sweden defeated Canada for the first time in the history of the competition and won their third gold medal.
At the 1963 World Championships in Stockholm, the Soviet Union won the gold medal, beginning a streak of nine consecutive World Championship golds. The 1964 Winter Olympics
in Innsbruck
, Austria
marked the first time that Canada failed to win an Olympic medal in hockey. The Soviet Union won all seven of their games and the gold medal, but Canada finished the tournament with five wins and two losses, putting them in a three-way tie for second place with Sweden and Czechoslovakia. Prior to 1964, the tie-breaking procedure was based on goal difference from games against teams in the medal round and under that system, Canada would have placed third ahead of the Czechoslovaks. The procedure had been changed to count all games and that meant the Canadians finished fourth. However, the Olympics also counted as the World Championships, and under IIHF rules, Canada should have won a bronze. In April 2005, the IIHF admitted that a mistake had occurred and announced that they had reviewed the decision and would award the 1964 Canadian team a World Championship bronze medal. However, two months later, the IIHF over-turned their decision and rejected an appeal in September.
The Soviets dominated the remainder of the decade. Following 1963, the team went undefeated in Olympic and World Championship competition for four years. Their streak was broken by Czechoslovakia at the 1968 Winter Olympics
. Despite the loss, the Soviets still won gold. It was the last time that the Olympics were also counted as the World Championships. In 1969, the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia played "the most emotionally charged games in the history of international hockey." The rights to host the tournament had originally been awarded to Czechoslovakia but they were forced to decline the rights following the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact invasion
of the nation in August 1968. The tournament was held in Stockholm
, Sweden
, and with these international tensions, the Czechoslovak team was determined to defeat the Soviets. They won both of their games 2–0 and 4–3 but despite these wins, the Czechs lost both of their games to Sweden and won bronze.
With European teams constantly improving, the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
(CAHA) felt their amateur players could no longer be competitive and pushed for the ability to use players from professional leagues. At the IIHF Congress in 1969, the IIHF voted to allow Canada to use nine non-NHL professional players at the 1970 World Championships. The rights to host the tournament were awarded to Canada for the first time–in Montreal
and Winnipeg
. However, the decision to allow the use of professionals was reversed in January 1970. IOC president Avery Brundage
was opposed to the idea of amateur and professional players competing together and said that ice hockey's status as an Olympic sport would be in jeopardy if the change was made. In response, Canada withdrew from International ice hockey competition. Canada's ice hockey team did not participate in the 1972
and 1976 Winter Olympics
. Canada also waived their rights to host the 1970 World Championship, so it was held in Stockholm, Sweden instead.
Led by goaltender Vladislav Tretiak
and forwards Valeri Kharlamov, Alexander Yakushev
, Vladimir Petrov
and Boris Mikhailov
, the Soviet Union won gold at the 1970 and 1971 World Championships and the 1972 Winter Olympics
. 1972 marked the first time that both the Olympics and World Championships were held in the same year as separate events. At the World Championships
in Prague, the Czechoslovak team ended the Soviet team's streak and won their first gold since 1949. The Soviet team quickly returned to their winning ways, winning 1973 and 1974 World Championships. However, during the latter tournament, the Czechoslovak team defeated the Soviets 7–2. It was one of the biggest margins the Soviet team had ever lost by in an official game. The 1976 World Championships
were held in Katowice
, Poland
. On the opening day of the tournament, Poland defeated the Soviet Union 6–4 thanks to a hat-trick
from forward Wieslaw Jobczyk and the goaltending of Andrzej Tkacz. It was one of the biggest upsets in international hockey history; two months earlier at the 1976 Winter Olympics
, Poland had lost 16–1 to the Soviets. The Soviets lost two more games and won the silver, and Czechoslovakia won gold. Poland finished seventh and was relegated to Pool B, the division in which teams play for ranking purposes and not the championship (now known as Division I).
became president of the IIHF in 1975 and helped to resolve the dispute with the CAHA. The IIHF agreed to allow "open competition" between all players in the World Championships, and moved the competition to later in the season so players not involved in the NHL playoffs could participate. However, NHL players were still not allowed to play in the Olympics, because of both the unwillingness of the NHL to take a break mid-season and the IOC's strict amateur-only policy. The IIHF also agreed to endorse the Canada Cup
, a competition meant to bring together the best players from the top hockey-playing countries. The 1976 World Ice Hockey Championships
in Katowice
were the first to feature professionals although in the end only the United States made use of the new rule, recalling eight pros from the Minnesota North Stars
and Minnesota Fighting Saints
. The first fully open World Championship was held in 1977
in Vienna
, Austria, and saw the first participation of active Canadian NHL players, including two-time NHL MVP
Phil Esposito
. Sweden and Finland also augmented their rosters with a few NHL and WHA players. Many of the players on the Canadian team were not prepared for the tournament and were unfamiliar with the international game. The team finished fourth, losing both games to the Soviet Union by a combined score of 19–2. Czechoslovakia won gold, becoming the third team (after Canada and the Soviet Union) to win consecutive championships.
With NHL players participating in the tournament, IIHF officials began to fear that true amateurs and young players were losing their places. As a result, full world championship status was given to the IIHF World Under-20 Championship, which had been held annually since 1974 as an unofficial invitational tournament. Colloquially known as the World Junior Hockey Championship, the event was structured after the World Championships, but limited to players under the age of 20. The World Under-18 Championship
was established in 1999 and typically held in April. It usually does not involve the top North American players because they are involved in University or junior league
playoffs at the time.
Starting in 1978
, the Soviet team won five consecutive World Championships, and had an unbeaten streak that lasted from 1981
through the 1984 Winter Olympics
and until 1985
. During that period, Canada remained competitive, winning three bronze medals. World Championship tournaments were not held in 1980, 1984 or 1988–the Olympic years. The 1987 World Championships
in Vienna were over-shadowed by several controversies. At the beginning of the tournament, the roster of the West German team included Miroslav Sikora, a Polish-German forward who had previously played for Poland at the 1977 World Under-20 Championship
. Sikora became a naturalized citizen
of West Germany and played in the first three games, scoring a goal in a 3–1 win over Finland. Following the game, Finland launched a protest, demanding that the result be over-turned because the Germans had used an ineligible player. At the time, IIHF rules did not allow players to switch nationalities under any circumstances and the IIHF agreed to overturn the result and award the two points to Finland. This angered German officials, who filed a protest in an Austrian court. The court agreed with the Germans, overturning the IIHF decision and allowing them to keep their points. The result affected the final standings because had the IIHF's decision stood, Finland would have advanced to the medal round instead of Sweden. However, the Finns finished out of the medal round, and Sweden won their first gold medal since 1962. The tournament format also became controversial because the Soviet Union finished undefeated but the Swedish team, which had lost three games in the preliminary round, won because of an inflated 9–0 win over Canada.
Before 1989, players that lived in the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, and other nations behind the Iron Curtain
were not allowed to leave and play in the NHL. In March 1989, Sergei Pryakhin
became the first member of the Soviet national team who was permitted to play for a non-Soviet team. Several Soviet players, including Igor Larionov
and Viacheslav Fetisov
, wanted to leave and play in the NHL. Soviet officials agreed to allow players to leave if they played one final tournament with the national team. Players agreed to this, and the Soviet Union won its 21st World Championship
. Shortly after, Soviet players began to flood into the NHL. Many of the Soviet Union's top players left, including the entire "Green Unit
"–Larionov, Fetisov, Vladimir Krutov
, Sergei Makarov
and Alexei Kasatonov
. The following year, the Soviet team was in disarray but still managed to win the 1990 World Championships
. It was the final championship the Soviet team would win. In 1991
, Swedish forward Mats Sundin
–the first European player to be drafted first overall in the NHL–led his team to the gold medal. The Soviets won bronze–the last medal the team would ever win.
The Soviet Union dissolved in December 1991. Nine former soviet states became part of the IIHF and began competing in international competitions, including Belarus, Kazakhstan, Latvia and Ukraine. Russia was named the successor to the Soviet Union. With this flood of new teams, the IIHF expanded the number of spots from eight to twelve. From 1963 to 1991, only four teams won a World Championship medal: the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia (failing to win a medal only three times), Sweden and Canada. The Soviets won a medal in every tournament they participated in (1954 to 1991). At the 1992 World Championships
, Sweden won their second consecutive gold. Finland won the silver medal, the nation's first ever World Championship medal (the Finnish team had previously won a silver at the 1988 Winter Olympics
).
, Russia won its first title as an independent nation and the Czech Republic won its first medal (bronze). In 1994
, the Canadian team finished the preliminary round undefeated and defeated Finland in the final to win their first World Championship since 1961. The following year
in Sweden, the Finnish team won its first ever World Championship. Led by their top line of Saku Koivu
, Ville Peltonen
and Jere Lehtinen
, the Finns defeated rival Sweden in the gold medal game. At the 1995 Pool B championships, Slovakia, led by Peter Šťastný
won Pool B and was promoted to the top division, where it has remained ever since. In 1996
, the Czech Republic won its first World Championship as an independent nation. During this period, the United States was the only one of the "big six" not to win the World Championship, although they did win the 1996 World Cup of Hockey
. In the mid 1990s, several new teams such as Latvia, Belarus and Ukraine were quickly improving and older nations such as Austria, Italy and Switzerland were at risk of being relegated to Pool B. The IIHF feared that it would lose advertising revenue if that happened, so the number of teams was increased to 16 starting in 1998.
From 1996 to 2001, the Czech Republic won six consecutive World Championship medals, including World Championship gold from 1999
to 2001
, as well as gold at the 1998 Winter Olympics
. In 2002
, the Czechs were favoured to win, but were upset in the quarter final by Russia. In the gold medal game between Russia and Slovakia, Slovakian Peter Bondra
scored in the final two minutes of the game and the nation won its first ever World Championship. At the 2003 World Championships
, Sweden made one of the biggest comebacks in tournament history, rallying from a 5–1 deficit in their quarterfinal game against Finland to win 6–5. The gold medal game between Canada and Sweden went into overtime. Canada's Anson Carter
scored the winning goal 13 minutes into play, but the goal had to be reviewed for ten minutes to determine if the puck had crossed the line. In a rematch between the two nations the following year
, Canada won and repeated as champions.
The 2004–05 NHL season was locked out
, and eventually cancelled, because of a labour dispute between the league and the players. The 2005 World Championships
, which featured more top players than normal, was won by the Czech Republic. At the 2006 Winter Olympics
, Sweden won the gold medal over Finland. Three months later, Sweden defeated the Czech Republic and won the 2006 World Championships
. They became the first team to win Olympic and World Championship gold in the same year. At the 2007 World Championship
in Moscow, Canada defeated Finland to win the gold medal. The following year
, the tournament was held in Canada for the first time. Russia defeated the home team to win their first gold medal since 1993. The Russian team successfully defended their title with a 2–1 win over Canada in 2009
.
In 2009, NHL Players' Association director Paul Kelly
suggested that the World Championships be held every other year and that the NHL go on break to allow full player participation. IIHF president René Fasel
responded that the tournament has television contracts and hosting commitments and that a large change would be difficult to put in place.
The 2010 tournament
took place in Germany. The first game, between Germany and the United States, was played at Veltins-Arena
in Gelsenkirchen
and was attended by 77,803 people, setting a new record for the most attended game in hockey history. The tournament was noted for having several surprising preliminary round results, including: Switzerland beating Canada for the first time in World Championship play; Norway defeating eventual champions the Czech Republic; and Denmark upsetting Finland and the United States en route to their first ever quarterfinal appearance. The German team, which had finished 15th in 2009 and only avoided relegation to Division I because they were set to host the 2010 tournament, advanced to the semi-finals for the first time since the new playoff format was adapted. They finished fourth, losing to Sweden in the bronze medal game. In the gold medal game, the Czech Republic upset the Russian team, winning gold and ending the defending champions' 27 game winning streak.
The 2011 tournament was held in independent Slovakia for the first time. Finland won its second world championship with a victory over Sweden. The Czech Republic won the bronze medal over Russia.
The first World Championship to be held as an individual event was in 1930
. Twelve different nations participated. Canada's team was given a bye
to the gold medal game, and the rest of the nations played an elimination tournament
to determine which nation would also play for the gold. In 1931
, the World Championships switched to a similar format to what was used at the Olympics. Ten teams played series of round-robin format
qualifying rounds were played to determine which nations participated in the medal round. Medals were awarded based on the final standings of the teams in the medal round. The format was changed several times in the 1930s, in some years there was a gold medal game, while in others the gold medal was awarded based on points. In 1937
, the tournament format was again switched to being similar to the version used at the Olympics. A preliminary round involving 11 teams was played, then the top four advanced to the medal round and medals were awarded based on points; no gold medal game was played. A gold medal game was played in 1938
; it was the last gold medal game played in the World Championships until 1992. In 1951, thirteen nations took part and were split into two groups. The top seven teams (Pool A) played for the World Championship. The other six (Pool B) played for ranking purposes. Generally eight teams played in the top-level Championship, although the number varied over the years, going as low as three (in 1953
) and as high as twelve (in 1959
). The same format was used until 1992. The format was criticized because often the gold medal winner was decided before the final game was played, such as at the 1988 Winter Olympics
. During a congress in 1990, the IIHF introduced a playoff system. As the IIHF grew, more teams began to participate at the World Championships, so more pools were introduced. Pool C games were first played in 1961 and Pool D was introduced in 1987. In 2001, the pools were renamed: Pool B became Division I, Pool C became Division II and Pool D became Division III.
The modern format for the World Championship features a minimum of 40 teams: 16 teams in the main championship group, 12 teams in Division I and 12 teams in Division II. If there are more than 40 teams, the rest compete in Division III.
From 1998 to 2011, the teams were divided into four groups and played each other in a round robin
format preliminary round, and the top 3 teams in each group advance into the qualifying round. The qualifying round is another round of group play with two groups of six, with the top four teams in each group advancing into the knockout
playoff stage. The bottom four teams in the preliminary round played in another group as well; this group determined relegation
. After a round-robin format, the bottom two teams were usually relegated to play in Division I the following year.
The main group features 16 teams. The 16 teams are split into two groups based on their world ranking. The ranking is based on the standings of the last Winter Olympics and the last four World Championships. The results of more recent tournaments have a higher weight in the ranking. The last World Championship has 100% value, the tournament before 75% and so on. The Olympic tournament has the same value as the World Championship the same year. Beginning with the 2012 tournament, the qualifying round will be eliminated, and the 16 teams will be divided into two groups of eight, with each team playing seven games in the preliminary round. The top four teams from these groups will advance to the knockout
playoff stage. In the quarterfinals, the first place team from one group plays the fourth place team from the other group, and the second place team from one group plays the third place team from the other group. The winners advance to the semi-finals. The winners of the semi-finals advance to the Gold medal game, and the losers advance to the Bronze medal game.
Also starting in 2012, there will no longer be a relegation round. Instead, the eighth-place team in each group will be relegated to Division I. Division I is split into two groups of six, both groups play in round robin tournaments independent of each other and the championship division. The top team from both groups is promoted to the championship, while the bottom team is relegated to Division II. Division II works similarly to Division I, with two six-team groups where each last place team is relegated to the Division III group. There is no relegation from Division III.
Between 1998 and 2004, the IIHF held a "Far East" qualifying tournament for Asian teams with an automatic berth in the championship division on the line. Japan always won this tournament, but finished last at every World Championship except in 2004
, when they finished 15th. The IIHF discontinued the qualifying tournament following the 2004 tournament, and Japan was relegated to compete in Division I.
At the first tournament in 1920, there were many differences from the modern game: games were played outdoors on natural ice, forward passes were not allowed, the rink was 56x18 metres (the current International standard is 61x30 metres) and two twenty minute periods were played. Each side had seven players on the ice, the extra position being the rover
. Following the tournament, the IIHF held a congress and decided to adopt the "Canadian rules"–six men per side and three periods of play.
At an IIHF congress in 1969, officials voted to allow body-checking
in all three zones in a rink similar to the NHL. Prior to that, body-checking was only allowed in the defending zone in international hockey. The IIHF later described the rule change as "arguably the most substantial and dramatic rule changes in the history of international hockey" because it allowed for a more aggressive game. The rule, which was first applied at the 1970 World Championships, was controversial: IIHF president Bunny Ahearne feared it would make ice hockey "a sport for goons." Several other rule changes were implemented in the early 1970s: players were required to wear helmet
s starting in 1970 and goaltender masks became mandatory in 1972. In 1992, the IIHF switched to using a playoff system to determine medalists and decided that tie games in the medal round would be decided in a shootout
. The IIHF decided to test a new rule in 1997 that would allow two-line passes
. Prior to that, the neutral zone trap
had slowed the game down and reduced scoring. At the 1997 World Championships, teams were allowed to decide if they wanted to test the rule. Although no team accepted the offer, the rule was adopted. The IIHF described it as "the most revolutionary rule change since allowing body-checking in all three zones in 1969. [...] The new rule almost immediately changed the game for the better. The 1999 IIHF World Championship in Norway was a stark contrast to the finals the year before with many more goals scored and with end-to-end action – not defence – dominating play."
The current IIHF rules differ slightly from the rules used in the NHL
. One difference between NHL and IIHF rules is rink dimensions: the NHL rink is narrower, measuring 61x26 metres (200x85 feet), instead of the international size of 61x30 metres (200x98.5 feet). Another rule difference between the NHL and the IIHF rules concerns how icings
are called. In the NHL, a linesman stops play due to icing if a defending player (other than the goaltender) touches the puck before an attacking player is able to, in contrast to the IIHF rules where play is stopped the moment the puck crosses the goal line. The NHL and IIHF differ also in penalty rules. The NHL, in addition to the minor and double minor penalties called in IIHF games, calls major penalties which are more dangerous infractions of the rules, such as fighting, and have a duration of five minutes. This is in contrast to the IIHF rule, in which players who fight are ejected from the game.
Beginning with the 2005–06 season, the NHL instituted several new rules. Some of them were already used by the IIHF, such as the shootout and making the two-line pass legal. Others which were not picked up by the IIHF, such as requiring smaller goaltender
equipment and the addition of the goaltender trapezoid to the rink. However, the IIHF did agree to follow the NHL's league's zero-tolerance policy on obstruction and required referees to call more hooking, holding and interference penalties. In 2006, the IIHF voted to eliminate tie games and institute a three point system: wins in regulation time would be worth three points, overtime wins would be two points and over-time losses would be worth one point. The system was first used at the 2007 World Championships.
If a player who has never played in an IIHF competition changes their citizenship, they must participate in national competitions in their new country for at least two consecutive years and have an international transfer card (ITC). If a player who has previously played in an IIHF tournament wishes to change their national team, they must have played in their new country for four years. A player can only do this once.
. Teams that are not ranked are not included here, for a full list of IIHF members, see List of members of the International Ice Hockey Federation.
Keys:
Promoted
Never been promoted/relegated (began in that division)
Relegated
will be held between 4-20 May 2012 in Helsinki
, Finland
and Stockholm
, Sweden
.
A. The IIHF recognizes Bohemia, which joined in 1908, and Czechoslovakia as the predecessors to the Czech Republic, which officially became a member in 1993.
B. The IIHF recognizes the Soviet Union, which joined in 1952, as the predecessor to Russia, which officially became a member in 1992.
, Slovenia
and Group B games will be played in Krynica
, Poland
from 15–21 April 2012.
, Iceland
from 12-18 April 2012 and Group B games will be played in Sofia, Bulgaria
from 2–8 April 2012.
C. The IIHF recognizes Yugoslavia, which joined in 1939, as the predecessor to Serbia, which officially became a member in 2007.
, Turkey
, 15–21 April 2012.
Ranked teams that did not participate in 2011:
was added. There is also an all-star team voted on by members of the media. In 2004, Canadian Dany Heatley
became the first player to lead in scoring, win the MVP award, win the best forward award and be named to the all-star team in the same year. He repeated the feat in 2008.
NHL participation:
Other:
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation
International Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...
(IIHF). First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics
1920 Summer Olympics
The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium....
, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European Championships
Ice Hockey European Championships
The Ice Hockey European Championship was an annual ice hockey tournament for European countries associated to the International Ice Hockey Federation...
, the precursor to the World Championships, were first held in 1910. The tournament
Ice hockey at the Olympic Games
Ice hockey tournaments have been staged at the Olympic Games since 1920. The men's tournament was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games programme in 1924. The women's tournament was first held at the 1998 Winter Olympics...
held at the 1920 Summer Olympics
1920 Summer Olympics
The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium....
is recognized as the first Ice Hockey World Championship. Between 1920 and 1968, the Olympic hockey tournament was also considered the World Championship for that year. The first World Championship that was held as an individual event was in 1930
1930 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1930 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships were held between January 30 and February 10, 1930 in Chamonix, France, Vienna, Austria and Berlin, Germany...
in which twelve nations participated. In 1931
1931 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1931 World Championship was the 5th World Championship, an annual international ice hockey tournament. It took place between 1 and 8 February 1931 in Krynica-Zdrój, Poland...
, ten teams played a series of round-robin format
Round-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
qualifying rounds to determine which nations participated in the medal round. Medals were awarded based on the final standings of the teams in the medal round. This basic format would be used until 1992 (although small variations were made). In 1951, thirteen nations took part and were split into two groups. The top seven teams (Pool A) played for the World Championship. The other six (Pool B) played for ranking purposes. During a congress in 1990, the IIHF introduced a playoff system. As the IIHF grew, more teams began to participate at the World Championships, so more pools (later renamed divisions) were introduced.
The modern format for the World Championship features 16 teams in the championship group, 12 teams in Division I and 12 teams in Division II. If there are more than 40 teams, the rest compete in Division III. The teams in the championship play a preliminary round, then the top eight teams play in the playoff medal round and the winning team is crowned World Champion. Over the years, the tournament has gone through several rule
Ice hockey rules
The majority of ice hockey around the world is played under the umbrella of three organizations, Hockey Canada, USA Hockey, and the International Ice Hockey Federation, each with their own set of rules...
changes. In 1969 body-checking
Checking (ice hockey)
Checking in ice hockey is any one of a number of defensive techniques. It is usually not a penalty.- Types :There are various types of checking:...
in all three zones in a rink was allowed, helmet
Hockey helmet
A hockey helmet is worn by players of ice hockey and inline hockey to help protect the head from potential injury when hit by the puck, sticks, skates, boards, other players, or the ice.-Construction:...
s and goaltender masks became mandatory in the early 1970s and in 1992 the IIHF began using the shootout
Penalty shootout
The shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to penalty shots in that a single player takes one shot on goal...
. The current IIHF rules differ slightly from the rules used in the NHL
National Hockey League rules
While the rules of the National Hockey League follows the general rules of ice hockey, it differs slightly from those used in international games organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation such as the Olympics.-Hockey rink:...
. The World Championships have been open to all players, both professional and amateur, since 1977. The IIHF requires that players are citizens of the country they represent and allow players to switch national teams provided that they play in their new nation for a certain period of time.
Canada was the tournament's first dominant team, winning the tournament 12 times between 1930 and 1952. The United States, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Great Britain and Switzerland were also competitive during this period. The Soviet Union first participated in 1954 and soon became rivals with Canada. From 1963 until the nation's breakup in 1991, the Soviet Union was the dominant team, winning 20 championships. During that period, only three other nations won medals: Canada, Czechoslovakia and Sweden. Russia first participated in 1992 and the Czech Republic and Slovakia began competing in 1993. In the 2000s, the competition became more open as the "big six" teams – Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Sweden, and the United States – as well as Slovakia became more evenly matched.
The 75th World Championship was held in Bratislava
Bratislava
Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia and, with a population of about 431,000, also the country's largest city. Bratislava is in southwestern Slovakia on both banks of the Danube River. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders two independent countries.Bratislava...
and Košice
Košice
Košice is a city in eastern Slovakia. It is situated on the river Hornád at the eastern reaches of the Slovak Ore Mountains, near the border with Hungary...
, Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
. In the final, Finland defeated Sweden to win their second championship.
Background
The International Ice Hockey FederationInternational Ice Hockey Federation
The International Ice Hockey Federation is the worldwide governing body for ice hockey and in-line hockey. It is based in Zurich, Switzerland, and has 70 members...
(IIHF), the sport's governing body
Sport governing body
A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...
, was created on 15 May 1908 under the name Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace (LHG). In 1908, organised ice hockey was still relatively new; the first organised indoor ice hockey game took place on 3 March 1875 at Montreal's Victoria Skating Rink
Victoria Skating Rink
The Victoria Skating Rink was an indoor skating rink located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, which opened in 1862. The building was used during winter seasons for pleasure skating, ice hockey and skating sports on a natural ice rink. In summer months, the building was used for various other events,...
. In 1887, four clubs from Montreal formed the Amateur Hockey Association of Canada (AHAC) and developed a structured schedule. Lord Stanley
Frederick Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby
Frederick Arthur Stanley, 16th Earl of Derby KG, GCB, GCVO, PC , known as Frederick Stanley until 1886 and as Lord Stanley of Preston between 1886 and 1893, was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom who served as Colonial Secretary from 1885 to 1886 and the sixth Governor General...
donated the Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
and the trustees decided to award it to either the best team in the AHAC, or to any pre-approved team that won it in a challenge. the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association
Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association
The Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association was a men's amateur, later professional ice hockey league in Canada that played four seasons. It was founded on December 11, 1905 with six clubs: four from the Canadian Amateur Hockey League and two from the Federal Amateur Hockey League, to bring...
(ECAHA) was formed in 1905, which mixed paid and amateur players in its rosters. The ECAHA eventually folded and as a result of the dissolution, the National Hockey Association
National Hockey Association
The National Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey organization with teams in Ontario and Quebec, Canada. It is the direct predecessor organization to today's National Hockey League...
(NHA) formed.
The Ice Hockey European Championships
Ice Hockey European Championships
The Ice Hockey European Championship was an annual ice hockey tournament for European countries associated to the International Ice Hockey Federation...
, first held in Les Avants
Les Avants
Les Avants is a village in the canton of Vaud in Switzerland. It is located in the municipality of Montreux, in the east of the canton, in the district of Vevey. It lies north-east of the town of Montreux and east of Lausanne....
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in January 1910, were the precursor to the World Championships. It was the first official tournament meant for national teams, the participating nations were Great Britain, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland. In North America, professional hockey was continuing to grow, the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL), the largest professional hockey league in the world, was formed in 1917. The European Championships were held for five consecutive years but were not held between 1915 and 1920 due to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
1920–1928: Olympic Games
The IIHF considers the ice hockey tournament held at the 1920 Summer Olympics1920 Summer Olympics
The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium....
to be the first Ice Hockey World Championship. It was organized by a committee that included future IIHF president Paul Loicq
Paul Loicq
Paul Loicq was an ice hockey player, referee, and administrator.He was born in Brussels.Loicq is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in the "Builder" category in 1961. Born in Brussels, Belgium, he studied law and served with the Belgian armed forces in World War I...
. The tournament was played from 23 April to 29 April. Seven teams participated: Canada, Czechoslovakia, the United States, Switzerland, Sweden, France and Belgium. Canada, represented by the Winnipeg Falcons
Winnipeg Falcons
The Winnipeg Falcons were a senior men's amateur ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. In the 1919-1920 season, the Winnipeg Falcons won the Allan Cup. That team went on to represent Canada in the 1920 Olympic games held in Antwerp, Belgium...
, won the gold medal, outscoring opponents 27–1. The United States and Czechoslovakia won the silver and bronze medals respectively. Following the 1921 Olympic Congress in Lausanne
Lausanne
Lausanne is a city in Romandy, the French-speaking part of Switzerland, and is the capital of the canton of Vaud. The seat of the district of Lausanne, the city is situated on the shores of Lake Geneva . It faces the French town of Évian-les-Bains, with the Jura mountains to its north-west...
, the first Winter Olympics
1924 Winter Olympics
The 1924 Winter Olympics, officially known as the I Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was held in 1924 in Chamonix, France...
were held in 1924 in Chamonix
Chamonix
Chamonix-Mont-Blanc or, more commonly, Chamonix is a commune in the Haute-Savoie département in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France. It was the site of the 1924 Winter Olympics, the first Winter Olympics...
, France, though they were only officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee
International Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
(IOC) as such in the following year.
Subsequently, the Olympics and World Championships occurred concurrently, and every Olympic tournament until 1968
1968 Winter Olympics
The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1968 in Grenoble, France and opened on 6 February. Thirty-seven countries participated...
is counted as the World Championship. Canada won the gold medal at both the 1924 and 1928 Winter Olympics
1928 Winter Olympics
The 1928 Winter Olympics, officially known as the II Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 11–19, 1928 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The 1928 Games were the first true Winter Olympics held on its own as they were not in conjunction with a Summer Olympics...
. In 1928, the Swedish and Swiss teams won their first medals–silver and bronze, respectively–and a German
Germany men's national ice hockey team
The German men's national ice hockey team first participated in serious international competition at the 1911 European Hockey Championship. When Germany was split after World War II, a separate East German national ice hockey team existed until 1990...
team participated for the first time, finishing ninth.
1930–1953: Canadian dominance
The first World Championship that was held as an individual event was in 19301930 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1930 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships were held between January 30 and February 10, 1930 in Chamonix, France, Vienna, Austria and Berlin, Germany...
. It was held in Chamonix, France; Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria; and Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany. Canada, represented by the Toronto CCMs
Toronto CCMs
The Toronto CCMs were a senior men's amateur ice hockey team that represented Canada at the 1930 World Ice Hockey Championships held in Germany. The team won the gold medal by defeating Germany by a score of 6-1 in the gold medal game....
, defeated Germany in the gold medal game, and Switzerland won the bronze. Canada, represented by the Manitoba Grads, won the following year
1931 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1931 World Championship was the 5th World Championship, an annual international ice hockey tournament. It took place between 1 and 8 February 1931 in Krynica-Zdrój, Poland...
, and the Winnipeg Winnipegs won Gold for Canada at the 1932 Winter Olympics
1932 Winter Olympics
The 1932 Winter Olympics, officially known as the III Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1932 in Lake Placid, New York, United States. The games opened on February 4 and closed on February 15. It would be the first winter olympics held in the United...
. At the 1933 World Championships
1933 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1933 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships were held between February 18 and February 26, 1933 in Prague, Czechoslovakia.The championship by the United States was their first, and was also the first time Canada lost a hockey world championship...
in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Czechoslovakia, the United States won the gold medal, becoming the first non-Canadian team to win the competition. As of 2009, it is the only gold medal the United States has won at a non-Olympic tournament.
1936 Winter Olympics
The 1936 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1936 in the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Bavaria, Germany. Germany also hosted the Summer Olympics the same year in Berlin...
in Germany, Canadian officials protested that two players on the British team—James Foster and Alex Archer
Alex Archer
Alexander "Sandy" Archer was an ice hockey right winger who played in the English National League for the Wembley Lions...
—had played in Canada but transferred without permission to play for clubs in the English National League
English National League
For the current league see English National Ice Hockey LeagueThe English National League was an early ice hockey league in England. It was founded in 1935 by most of the teams who had previously competed in the English League. It was suspended during the Second World War, but returned in 1946...
. The IIHF agreed with Canada, but Britain threatened to withdraw if the two could not compete. Canada withdrew the protest before the games started. Britain became the first non-Canadian team to win Olympic gold, with Germany taking bronze. Canada won the remainder of the World Championship tournaments held in the 1930s. The 1939 World Championships marked the first time that a team from Finland competed in the tournament. World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
forced the cancellation of the 1940
1940 Winter Olympics
The anticipated 1940 Winter Olympics, which would have been officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, were to be celebrated in 1940 in Sapporo, Japan.The games were cancelled due to the onset of World War II...
and 1944 Winter Olympics
1944 Winter Olympics
The anticipated 1944 Winter Olympics, which would have been officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games , were to be celebrated in February 1944 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
and the World Championships from 1941 to 1946.
Following World War II, Czechoslovakia's team was quickly improving. They won the 1947 World Championships
1947 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 14th Ice Hockey World Championship and 25th European Championship was the first after the Second World War. It was held from 15 to 23 February 1947 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Eight teams participated, but the competition was notably missing the reigning world champion, Canada. The world...
, although a Canadian team had not participated in the event. In 1949
1949 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 16th Ice Hockey World Championships and 27th European Hockey Championships was held from February 12 to 20, 1949, in Stockholm, Sweden. In the initial round, the ten teams participating were divided into three groups: two groups of three and one of four...
, they became the third nation to win a World Championship tournament that Canada participated in. During the run-up to the 1948 Winter Olympics
1948 Winter Olympics
The 1948 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The Games were the first to be celebrated after World War II; it had been twelve years since the last Winter Games in 1936...
in St. Moritz, Switzerland, a conflict broke out between the two American hockey bodies: the American Hockey Association (AHA) and the Amateur Athletic Union
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
(AAU). The AAU refused to support the AHA's team because they believed that AHA players were "openly paid salaries" and at the time, the Olympics were strictly for amateur players. A compromise was reached that the AHA team would be allowed to compete but would be considered unofficial and unable to win a medal. By the end of the tournament, the AHA team finished fourth in the standings but was disqualified. Both Czechoslovakia and the RCAF Flyers
RCAF Flyers
The RCAF Flyers was a senior amateur Canadian ice hockey team, based out of Ottawa. The club won the gold medal in the 1948 Winter Olympics...
of Canada won seven games and tied when they played each other. The gold medal winner was determined by goal difference
Goal difference
In sports such as ice hockey and association football, goal difference is often the first tiebreaker used to rank teams which finish a league competition with an equal number of points....
: Canada won the gold because they had an average of 13.8 compared to Czechoslovakia's average of 4.3.
At the 1952 Winter Olympics
1952 Winter Olympics
The 1952 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VI Olympic Winter Games, took place in Oslo, Norway, from 14 to 25 February 1952. Discussions about Oslo hosting the Winter Olympic Games began as early as 1935; the city wanted to host the 1948 Games, but World War II made that impossible...
in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, the Edmonton Mercurys
Edmonton Mercurys
The Edmonton Mercurys were an intermediate senior-A ice hockey team that played in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1940s and 50s. Known as the Forgotten Team, the Mercurys won the 1950 World Ice Hockey Championships in London, England, and the gold medal at the 1952 Winter Olympics in Oslo, Norway —...
won Canada's second consecutive Olympic gold medal. It was the last time that a Canadian team would win an Olympic gold medal in hockey for 50 years. The 1953 tournament
1953 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1953 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships were held between March 7 and March 15, 1953 in Basel and Zurich, Switzerland.This was the first world championship tournament with only European teams....
featured only three teams that played all of their games: Sweden, West Germany, Switzerland. Sweden finished the tournament undefeated and won their first World Championship.
1954–1962: Canada-Soviet Union rivalry
1954 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 21st Ice Hockey World Championships and 32nd European ice hockey championships were held from 26 February to 7 March 1954 in Stockholm, Sweden.-Final round:-Standings:-Team members:*Nikolai Puchkov*Grigori Mkrtychan...
has been described by the IIHF as "the start of the modern era of international hockey." It was the first year to feature the participation of the Soviet Union. The Soviet Union had only begun playing ice hockey in 1946, having previously focused on bandy
Bandy
Bandy is a team winter sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a ball into the opposing team's goal.The rules of the game have many similarities to those of association football: the game is played on a rectangle of ice the same size as a football field. Each team has 11 players,...
. Led by coach Arkady Chernyshev
Arkady Chernyshev
Arkady Ivanovich Chernyshev was a Soviet ice hockey and soccer player, who played in the Soviet Hockey League, also a coach for «Dynamo» Moscow club and a distinguished coach for Soviet Union national ice hockey team....
and consisting of the top players in the nation, the Soviets finished their first six games undefeated. Canada, represented by the East York Lyndhursts, was also undefeated and, in the final game of the tournament, the two teams met for the first time in international competition. The Soviet Union won the game 7–2, becoming the fifth team to win a World Championship tournament. The 1955 World Championship was held in West Germany, and the two teams again met in the final game of the tournament. The game was so high profile in Canada that announcer Foster Hewitt
Foster Hewitt
Foster William Hewitt, OC was a Canadian radio broadcaster most famous for his play-by-play calls for Hockey Night in Canada. He was the son of W. A. Hewitt, and the father of Bill Hewitt.-Early life and career:...
flew to Germany to provide play-by-play coverage. Both teams were undefeated and Canada, represented by the Penticton Vees
Penticton Vees
The Penticton Vees are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Penticton, British Columbia, Canada. They are a part of the British Columbia Hockey League...
, defeated the Soviets 5–0 to reclaim the World Championship. At the 1956 Winter Olympics
1956 Winter Olympics
The 1956 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. This celebration of the Games was held from 26 January to 5 February 1956. Cortina, which had originally been awarded the 1944 Winter Olympics, beat out...
in Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo
Cortina d'Ampezzo is a town and comune in the southern Alps located in Veneto, a region in Northern Italy. Located in the heart of the Dolomites in an alpine valley, it is a popular winter sport resort known for its ski-ranges, scenery, accommodations, shops and après-ski scene...
, Italy, Canada's Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen lost to both the Soviets and the United States in the medal round and won the bronze. The Soviets went undefeated and won their first Olympic ice hockey gold medal. It would be seven years until the Soviet Union won another World Championship.
The 1957 World Championships
1957 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1957 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships were held between 24 February and 5 March 1957 at the Palace of Sports of the Central Lenin Stadium in Moscow, USSR....
were held in Moscow. Canada and the United States did not participate in protest of the Soviet occupation of Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
. Most of the games were held in the Luzhniki Sports Palace
Luzhniki Palace of Sports
Luzhniki Palace of Sports, formerly the Palace of Sports of the Central Lenin Stadium, is a sports palace in Moscow, Russia, a part of the Luzhniki Sports Complex. Built in 1956, it originally had a spectator capacity of 13,700...
, but the Soviet officials decided to hold the final game in a nearby outdoor soccer stadium
Luzhniki Stadium
The Grand Sports Arena of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex in Moscow, or briefly Luzhniki Stadium , is the biggest sports stadium in Russia. Its total seating capacity is 78,360 seats, all covered. The stadium is a part of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex, previously called the Central Lenin Stadium...
. The game was attended by at least 55,000 people, which stood as a World Championship attendance record until 2010
2010 IIHF World Championship
The 2010 IIHF World Championship was the 74th IIHF World Championship, an annual international ice hockey tournament. It took place between 7 and 23 May 2010 in Germany. The games were played in the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, SAP Arena in Mannheim, and one game at Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen...
. In the final game, Sweden tied the Soviet Union to finish with six wins and one tie (the Soviet Union had five wins and two ties) and won the gold medal. Canada returned to the World Championship in 1958 and won two consecutive titles, with the Soviets winning silver both times. At the 1960 Winter Olympics
1960 Winter Olympics
The 1960 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VIII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event held between February 18 and 28, 1960 in Squaw Valley, California, United States. In 1955 at the 50th IOC meeting, the organizing committee made the surprise choice to award Squaw Valley as...
in Squaw Valley, California, Canada, the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia and Sweden were the top four teams heading into the Games. All four were defeated by the American team, which won all seven games en route to its first Olympic gold medal.
In 1961, Czechoslovakia defeated the Soviet Union and tied Canada to make it a three-way race for gold. In the final game, Canada defeated the Soviets 5–1 to win their nineteenth gold medal. The Trail Smoke Eaters
Trail Smoke Eaters (senior)
The Trail Smoke Eaters were a senior level men's ice hockey team from Trail, British Columbia that played from 1926 to 1987. They are recognized as being one of the best senior hockey teams in Canadian history...
became the final club team to represent Canada. The following year, Canada implemented a national team program, led by Father David Bauer. Canada would not win another world championship gold until 1994. In 1962, the World Championships were held in North America for the first time. The tournament was held in Denver, United States, and was boycotted by the Soviet and Czechoslovak teams. Sweden defeated Canada for the first time in the history of the competition and won their third gold medal.
1963–1976: Soviet dominance
1964 Winter Olympics
The 1964 Winter Olympics, officially known as the IX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Innsbruck, Austria, from January 29 to February 9, 1964...
in Innsbruck
Innsbruck
- Main sights :- Buildings :*Golden Roof*Kaiserliche Hofburg *Hofkirche with the cenotaph of Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor*Altes Landhaus...
, Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
marked the first time that Canada failed to win an Olympic medal in hockey. The Soviet Union won all seven of their games and the gold medal, but Canada finished the tournament with five wins and two losses, putting them in a three-way tie for second place with Sweden and Czechoslovakia. Prior to 1964, the tie-breaking procedure was based on goal difference from games against teams in the medal round and under that system, Canada would have placed third ahead of the Czechoslovaks. The procedure had been changed to count all games and that meant the Canadians finished fourth. However, the Olympics also counted as the World Championships, and under IIHF rules, Canada should have won a bronze. In April 2005, the IIHF admitted that a mistake had occurred and announced that they had reviewed the decision and would award the 1964 Canadian team a World Championship bronze medal. However, two months later, the IIHF over-turned their decision and rejected an appeal in September.
The Soviets dominated the remainder of the decade. Following 1963, the team went undefeated in Olympic and World Championship competition for four years. Their streak was broken by Czechoslovakia at the 1968 Winter Olympics
1968 Winter Olympics
The 1968 Winter Olympics, officially known as the X Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1968 in Grenoble, France and opened on 6 February. Thirty-seven countries participated...
. Despite the loss, the Soviets still won gold. It was the last time that the Olympics were also counted as the World Championships. In 1969, the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia played "the most emotionally charged games in the history of international hockey." The rights to host the tournament had originally been awarded to Czechoslovakia but they were forced to decline the rights following the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact invasion
Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia
On the night of 20–21 August 1968, the Soviet Union and her main satellite states in the Warsaw Pact – Bulgaria, the German Democratic Republic , Hungary and Poland – invaded the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic in order to halt Alexander Dubček's Prague Spring political liberalization...
of the nation in August 1968. The tournament was held in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, and with these international tensions, the Czechoslovak team was determined to defeat the Soviets. They won both of their games 2–0 and 4–3 but despite these wins, the Czechs lost both of their games to Sweden and won bronze.
Canadian Amateur Hockey Association
The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association was the national governing body of amateur ice hockey play in Canada from 1914 until 1994 when it merged with the Canadian Hockey Association or Hockey Canada....
(CAHA) felt their amateur players could no longer be competitive and pushed for the ability to use players from professional leagues. At the IIHF Congress in 1969, the IIHF voted to allow Canada to use nine non-NHL professional players at the 1970 World Championships. The rights to host the tournament were awarded to Canada for the first time–in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and Winnipeg
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
. However, the decision to allow the use of professionals was reversed in January 1970. IOC president Avery Brundage
Avery Brundage
Avery Brundage was an American amateur athlete, sports official, art collector, and philanthropist. Brundage competed in the 1912 Olympics and was the US national all-around athlete in 1914, 1916 and 1918...
was opposed to the idea of amateur and professional players competing together and said that ice hockey's status as an Olympic sport would be in jeopardy if the change was made. In response, Canada withdrew from International ice hockey competition. Canada's ice hockey team did not participate in the 1972
1972 Winter Olympics
The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...
and 1976 Winter Olympics
1976 Winter Olympics
The 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
. Canada also waived their rights to host the 1970 World Championship, so it was held in Stockholm, Sweden instead.
Led by goaltender Vladislav Tretiak
Vladislav Tretiak
Vladislav Aleksandrovich Tretiak, MSM is a former goaltender for the Soviet Union's national ice hockey team. Considered to be one of the greatest goaltenders in the history of the sport, he was voted one of six players to the International Ice Hockey Federation's Centennial All-Star Team in a...
and forwards Valeri Kharlamov, Alexander Yakushev
Alexander Yakushev
Alexander Sergeyevich Yakushev was an ice hockey player for the Soviet Union.Born in Moscow, Soviet Union, Alexander Yakushev is best known to North American hockey fans as one of the stars for the Soviet team that played Team Canada in the famous 1972 Summit Series...
, Vladimir Petrov
Vladimir Vladimirovich Petrov
Vladimir Vladimirovich Petrov is a Soviet ice hockey player, two times Olympic Champion , who is currently retired....
and Boris Mikhailov
Boris Mikhailov (ice hockey)
Boris Petrovich Mikhailov is a former Soviet ice hockey player. He played for Kristall Saratov from 1962–65, Lokomotiv Moscow from 1965–67, and CSKA Moscow from 1967-1981...
, the Soviet Union won gold at the 1970 and 1971 World Championships and the 1972 Winter Olympics
1972 Winter Olympics
The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...
. 1972 marked the first time that both the Olympics and World Championships were held in the same year as separate events. At the World Championships
1972 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1972 World Ice Hockey Championships was the 39th edition of the Ice Hockey World Championships. The tournament was held in Prague, Czechoslovakia from April 7 to April 22, 1972, and the Czechoslovakia national team won the tournament, the third time they had done so and first since 1949, ending...
in Prague, the Czechoslovak team ended the Soviet team's streak and won their first gold since 1949. The Soviet team quickly returned to their winning ways, winning 1973 and 1974 World Championships. However, during the latter tournament, the Czechoslovak team defeated the Soviets 7–2. It was one of the biggest margins the Soviet team had ever lost by in an official game. The 1976 World Championships
1976 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1976 World Ice Hockey Championships were the 43rd Ice Hockey World Championships and the 54th European Championships in ice hockey. The tournament took place in Poland from 8 April to 25 April, and the games were played in Katowice. Eight teams took part in the main tournament, with each team...
were held in Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. On the opening day of the tournament, Poland defeated the Soviet Union 6–4 thanks to a hat-trick
Hat-trick
A hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
from forward Wieslaw Jobczyk and the goaltending of Andrzej Tkacz. It was one of the biggest upsets in international hockey history; two months earlier at the 1976 Winter Olympics
1976 Winter Olympics
The 1976 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XII Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated February 4–15, 1976 in Innsbruck, Austria...
, Poland had lost 16–1 to the Soviets. The Soviets lost two more games and won the silver, and Czechoslovakia won gold. Poland finished seventh and was relegated to Pool B, the division in which teams play for ranking purposes and not the championship (now known as Division I).
1976–1987: First years of open competition
Günther SabetzkiGunther Sabetzki
Günther Sabetzki was an executive for several ice hockey leagues and organizations....
became president of the IIHF in 1975 and helped to resolve the dispute with the CAHA. The IIHF agreed to allow "open competition" between all players in the World Championships, and moved the competition to later in the season so players not involved in the NHL playoffs could participate. However, NHL players were still not allowed to play in the Olympics, because of both the unwillingness of the NHL to take a break mid-season and the IOC's strict amateur-only policy. The IIHF also agreed to endorse the Canada Cup
Canada Cup (ice hockey)
The Canada Cup was an invitational international ice hockey tournament held on five occasions between 1976 and 1991. The tournament was created to meet demand for a true world championship that allowed the best players from participating nations to compete regardless of their status as professional...
, a competition meant to bring together the best players from the top hockey-playing countries. The 1976 World Ice Hockey Championships
1976 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1976 World Ice Hockey Championships were the 43rd Ice Hockey World Championships and the 54th European Championships in ice hockey. The tournament took place in Poland from 8 April to 25 April, and the games were played in Katowice. Eight teams took part in the main tournament, with each team...
in Katowice
Katowice
Katowice is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, on the Kłodnica and Rawa rivers . Katowice is located in the Silesian Highlands, about north of the Silesian Beskids and about southeast of the Sudetes Mountains.It is the central district of the Upper Silesian Metropolis, with a population of 2...
were the first to feature professionals although in the end only the United States made use of the new rule, recalling eight pros from the Minnesota North Stars
Minnesota North Stars
The Minnesota North Stars were a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League for 26 seasons, from 1967 to 1993. The North Stars played their home games at the Met Center in Bloomington, and the team's colors for most of its history were green, yellow, gold and white...
and Minnesota Fighting Saints
Minnesota Fighting Saints
The Minnesota Fighting Saints was the name of two professional ice hockey teams based in Saint Paul, Minnesota that played in the World Hockey Association. The first team was one of the WHA's original twelve franchises, playing from 1972–76. The second team was relocated from Cleveland, Ohio, and...
. The first fully open World Championship was held in 1977
1977 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1977 Ice Hockey World Championships took place in Vienna, Austria from 21 April to 8 May. Eight teams took part, first playing each other once, then the four best teams advancing to a new round. The tournament was also the 55th ice hockey European Championship...
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, Austria, and saw the first participation of active Canadian NHL players, including two-time NHL MVP
Hart Memorial Trophy
The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, the "oldest and most prestigious individual award in hockey", is awarded annually to the "player adjudged most valuable to his team" in the National Hockey League . The Hart Memorial Trophy has been awarded 86 times to 53 different...
Phil Esposito
Phil Esposito
Philip Anthony Esposito, OC is a former Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Chicago Black Hawks, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers. He is an Honoured Member of the Hockey Hall of Fame and is considered to be one of the best to have...
. Sweden and Finland also augmented their rosters with a few NHL and WHA players. Many of the players on the Canadian team were not prepared for the tournament and were unfamiliar with the international game. The team finished fourth, losing both games to the Soviet Union by a combined score of 19–2. Czechoslovakia won gold, becoming the third team (after Canada and the Soviet Union) to win consecutive championships.
With NHL players participating in the tournament, IIHF officials began to fear that true amateurs and young players were losing their places. As a result, full world championship status was given to the IIHF World Under-20 Championship, which had been held annually since 1974 as an unofficial invitational tournament. Colloquially known as the World Junior Hockey Championship, the event was structured after the World Championships, but limited to players under the age of 20. The World Under-18 Championship
IIHF World U18 Championships
The IIHF World U18 Championship is an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation for national under-18 ice hockey teams from around the world. The tournament is usually played in April and is organized according to a system similar to Ice Hockey World Championships and World...
was established in 1999 and typically held in April. It usually does not involve the top North American players because they are involved in University or junior league
Junior ice hockey
Junior hockey is a catch-all term used to describe various levels of ice hockey competition for players generally between 16 and 20 years of age...
playoffs at the time.
Starting in 1978
1978 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1978 Ice Hockey World Championships took place in Prague, Czechoslovakia from 26 April to 14 May. Eight teams took part, with each team playing each other once in the first round, and then the four best teams meeting in a new round. This was the 45th World Championships, and also the 56th ice...
, the Soviet team won five consecutive World Championships, and had an unbeaten streak that lasted from 1981
1981 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1981 Ice Hockey World Championships took place at the Scandinavium arena in Gothenburg, Sweden from 12 April to the 26 April. Eight teams took part, firstly splitting into two groups of two, with the best two from each group advancing to the final group. These teams then play each other in the...
through the 1984 Winter Olympics
1984 Winter Olympics
The 1984 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XIV Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from 8–19 February 1984 in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia. Other candidate cities were Sapporo, Japan; and Gothenburg, Sweden...
and until 1985
1985 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1985 Ice Hockey World Championships took place in Prague, Czechoslovakia from 17 April to 3 May. Eight teams took part, with each team playing each other once. The four best teams then played each other again. This was the 50th World Championships, and also the 61st European Championships of...
. During that period, Canada remained competitive, winning three bronze medals. World Championship tournaments were not held in 1980, 1984 or 1988–the Olympic years. The 1987 World Championships
1987 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1987 Ice Hockey World Championships was the 52nd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. It was also the 63rd ice hockey European Championships. Teams representing 28 countries participated in four levels of competition....
in Vienna were over-shadowed by several controversies. At the beginning of the tournament, the roster of the West German team included Miroslav Sikora, a Polish-German forward who had previously played for Poland at the 1977 World Under-20 Championship
1977 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
-Scoring leaders:-Tournament awards:...
. Sikora became a naturalized citizen
Naturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
of West Germany and played in the first three games, scoring a goal in a 3–1 win over Finland. Following the game, Finland launched a protest, demanding that the result be over-turned because the Germans had used an ineligible player. At the time, IIHF rules did not allow players to switch nationalities under any circumstances and the IIHF agreed to overturn the result and award the two points to Finland. This angered German officials, who filed a protest in an Austrian court. The court agreed with the Germans, overturning the IIHF decision and allowing them to keep their points. The result affected the final standings because had the IIHF's decision stood, Finland would have advanced to the medal round instead of Sweden. However, the Finns finished out of the medal round, and Sweden won their first gold medal since 1962. The tournament format also became controversial because the Soviet Union finished undefeated but the Swedish team, which had lost three games in the preliminary round, won because of an inflated 9–0 win over Canada.
1989–1992: Fall of the Iron Curtain
Iron Curtain
The concept of the Iron Curtain symbolized the ideological fighting and physical boundary dividing Europe into two separate areas from the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1989...
were not allowed to leave and play in the NHL. In March 1989, Sergei Pryakhin
Sergei Pryakhin
Sergei Vasilievich Pryakhin is a retired Russian ice hockey forward.Sergei was the first Soviet member of their national hockey team that the Soviet government allowed to play in the National Hockey League. Other players had either defected or had not been member of the national team before him...
became the first member of the Soviet national team who was permitted to play for a non-Soviet team. Several Soviet players, including Igor Larionov
Igor Larionov
Igor Nikolayevich Larionov is a Russian retired professional ice hockey player, known as The Professor. Along with Viacheslav Fetisov, he was instrumental in breaking the barrier that stopped Soviet players from joining the National Hockey League . He primarily played the centre position, and is...
and Viacheslav Fetisov
Viacheslav Fetisov
Viacheslav "Slava" Alexandrovich Fetisov is a retired professional ice hockey defenseman...
, wanted to leave and play in the NHL. Soviet officials agreed to allow players to leave if they played one final tournament with the national team. Players agreed to this, and the Soviet Union won its 21st World Championship
1989 World Ice Hockey Championships
-Final Round:-Consolation Round:Poland was relegated to Group B.-World Championship Group B :Played in Oslo and Lillehammer March 30th to April 9th. The April 5th game between Norway and Austria was officially adjusted to 8-0 for Norway because of Siegfried Haberl's positive drug test...
. Shortly after, Soviet players began to flood into the NHL. Many of the Soviet Union's top players left, including the entire "Green Unit
Russian Five
The Russian Five is the name of two separate but related units of five Russian ice hockey players.-CSKA Moscow and Soviet National Team:The first, also known as the Green Unit was a unit of players for both the CSKA Moscow and the Soviet national hockey teams during the 1980s...
"–Larionov, Fetisov, Vladimir Krutov
Vladimir Krutov
Vladimir Yevgenyevich Krutov born June 1, 1960) is a former Soviet hockey forward. Together with Igor Larionov and Sergei Makarov, he was part of the famed KLM Line...
, Sergei Makarov
Sergei Makarov
Sergei Mikhailovich Makarov is a Russian former ice hockey right wing and two-time Olympic gold medalist, regarded as one of the greatest players to play the sport...
and Alexei Kasatonov
Alexei Kasatonov
Alexei Viktorovich Kasatonov is a retired ice hockey defenceman, a long-time member of the Soviet Union national team.On the international stage, Kasatonov won two golds and one silver in the Olympics, and five golds in the World Championships...
. The following year, the Soviet team was in disarray but still managed to win the 1990 World Championships
1990 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
-Final Round:-Consolation Round:Norway needing to keep their final game within four goals, lost four to nothing to the Germans, and were relegated....
. It was the final championship the Soviet team would win. In 1991
1991 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
-Final Round:-Consolation Round:No team was relegated because of the expansion to twelve teams.-World Championship Group B :...
, Swedish forward Mats Sundin
Mats Sundin
Mats Johan Sundin is a retired Swedish professional ice hockey player. Originally drafted first overall in 1989, Sundin played his first four seasons in the NHL with the Quebec Nordiques. He was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1994, where he played the majority of his career, serving 11...
–the first European player to be drafted first overall in the NHL–led his team to the gold medal. The Soviets won bronze–the last medal the team would ever win.
The Soviet Union dissolved in December 1991. Nine former soviet states became part of the IIHF and began competing in international competitions, including Belarus, Kazakhstan, Latvia and Ukraine. Russia was named the successor to the Soviet Union. With this flood of new teams, the IIHF expanded the number of spots from eight to twelve. From 1963 to 1991, only four teams won a World Championship medal: the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia (failing to win a medal only three times), Sweden and Canada. The Soviets won a medal in every tournament they participated in (1954 to 1991). At the 1992 World Championships
1992 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
- Group 2 :- Consolation Round 11-12 Place :Poland was relegated to Group B.- Quarterfinals :- Semifinals :- Match for third place :- Final :-World Championship Group B :Played in Klagenfurt April 2-12...
, Sweden won their second consecutive gold. Finland won the silver medal, the nation's first ever World Championship medal (the Finnish team had previously won a silver at the 1988 Winter Olympics
1988 Winter Olympics
The 1988 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XV Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event celebrated in and around Calgary, Alberta, Canada from 13 to 28 February 1988. The host was selected in 1981 after having beat Falun, Sweden and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy...
).
1993–present
Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in January 1993. The IIHF recognized the Czech Republic's team as the successor to Czechoslovakia and it retained its position in the top division. Slovakia's team began in the lowest division (Pool C) in 1994 and was forced to work its way up. Following this, the next decade was dominated by the so-called "big six"–Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, Sweden and the United States. From 1992 to 1996, five different teams won the World Championship. At the 1993 World Championships1993 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
- Group 2 :- Quarterfinals :- Consolation Round 9-12 Place :- Semifinals :- Consolation Round 11-12 Place :Switzerland was relegated to Group B.- Match for third place :- Final :-World Championship Group B :...
, Russia won its first title as an independent nation and the Czech Republic won its first medal (bronze). In 1994
1994 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
- Group 2 :- Quarterfinals :- Consolation Round 11-12 Place :- Semifinals :- Match for third place :- Final :-World Championship Group B :...
, the Canadian team finished the preliminary round undefeated and defeated Finland in the final to win their first World Championship since 1961. The following year
1995 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1995 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was played in Stockholm and Gavle Sweden, from April 23rd to May the 7th, 1995. In the tournament finals, Finland won the gold medal by winning over Sweden 4-1 at the Globen arena in Stockholm. The Finnish goals were scored by Timo Jutila and Ville...
in Sweden, the Finnish team won its first ever World Championship. Led by their top line of Saku Koivu
Saku Koivu
Saku Antero Koivu is a Finnish professional ice hockey player and an alternate captain of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League . He began his NHL career with the Montreal Canadiens in 1995–96 after three seasons with TPS of the Finnish SM-liiga...
, Ville Peltonen
Ville Peltonen
Ville Peltonen is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward currently playing for the HIFK of the SM-liiga . He was drafted by the San Jose Sharks as their third round pick, 58th overall, in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft....
and Jere Lehtinen
Jere Lehtinen
Jere Kalervo Lehtinen is a former Finnish professional ice hockey forward. He played as a right wing. He was drafted 88th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota North Stars. Lehtinen handles defensive aspects of the game as well as offensive, hence he is a two-way forward for which...
, the Finns defeated rival Sweden in the gold medal game. At the 1995 Pool B championships, Slovakia, led by Peter Šťastný
Peter Stastny
Peter Šťastný , also known colloquially as "Peter the Great" and "Stosh", is a retired Slovak professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League from 1980 to 1995. During his time with the Quebec Nordiques, Stastny became a Canadian citizen. Since 2004, he has also served as a...
won Pool B and was promoted to the top division, where it has remained ever since. In 1996
1996 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
- Group 2 :- Quarterfinals :- Consolation Round 11-12 Place :Austria was relegated to Group B.- Semifinals :- Match for third place :- Final :-World Championship Group B :...
, the Czech Republic won its first World Championship as an independent nation. During this period, the United States was the only one of the "big six" not to win the World Championship, although they did win the 1996 World Cup of Hockey
1996 World Cup of Hockey
The first World Cup of Hockey , or 1996 World Cup of Hockey, replaced the Canada Cup as one of the premier championships for professional ice hockey ....
. In the mid 1990s, several new teams such as Latvia, Belarus and Ukraine were quickly improving and older nations such as Austria, Italy and Switzerland were at risk of being relegated to Pool B. The IIHF feared that it would lose advertising revenue if that happened, so the number of teams was increased to 16 starting in 1998.
1999 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
-World Championship Group C:Played at Eindhoven and Tilburg, Netherlands April 5–11. Yugoslavia was supposed to particpate in this tournament, but was prevented by the host Dutch government.-Group 1:-Group 2:-Final Round 25-28 Place:...
to 2001
2001 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
-Championship:Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2002# — relegated to Division I for 2002# - Group A :Group A was played in Grenoble, France between April 16 and April 22, 2001...
, as well as gold at the 1998 Winter Olympics
1998 Winter Olympics
The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice...
. In 2002
2002 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2002 Men's Ice Hockey Championships were held between April 26 and May 11, 2002 in Gothenburg, Karlstad and Jönköping, Sweden.It was the 66th annual event, and was run by the International Ice Hockey Federation .- Championship :...
, the Czechs were favoured to win, but were upset in the quarter final by Russia. In the gold medal game between Russia and Slovakia, Slovakian Peter Bondra
Peter Bondra
Peter Bondra is a former Slovak professional ice hockey player. He was the general manager of the Slovak national team from 2007 to 2011...
scored in the final two minutes of the game and the nation won its first ever World Championship. At the 2003 World Championships
2003 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
-Relegation round: avoids relegation by defeating 4-1 in the 2004 IIHF World Championship Far East Qualification game. and are demoted to Division I at the 2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships.-Scoring leaders:-Goaltending leaders:-Group A:...
, Sweden made one of the biggest comebacks in tournament history, rallying from a 5–1 deficit in their quarterfinal game against Finland to win 6–5. The gold medal game between Canada and Sweden went into overtime. Canada's Anson Carter
Anson Carter
Anson Carter is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger of Barbadian descent who last played for HC Lugano in the Swiss Nationalliga A. In the past, he has played for eight different National Hockey League teams, most notably with the Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver...
scored the winning goal 13 minutes into play, but the goal had to be reviewed for ten minutes to determine if the puck had crossed the line. In a rematch between the two nations the following year
2004 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2004 Men's Ice Hockey Championships were held April 24-May 9, 2004, in Prague and Ostrava, Czech Republic. Games for this Ice Hockey World Championships tournament were played at Sazka Arena and ČEZ Aréna...
, Canada won and repeated as champions.
The 2004–05 NHL season was locked out
Lockout (industry)
A lockout is a work stoppage in which an employer prevents employees from working. This is different from a strike, in which employees refuse to work.- Causes :...
, and eventually cancelled, because of a labour dispute between the league and the players. The 2005 World Championships
2005 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2005 Men's Ice Hockey Championships were held March 7 - May 15, 2005, in 7 cities in 6 countries: Vienna and Innsbruck, Austria ; Debrecen, Hungary ; Eindhoven, the Netherlands ; Zagreb, Croatia ; Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro ; Mexico City, Mexico...
, which featured more top players than normal, was won by the Czech Republic. At the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
, Sweden won the gold medal over Finland. Three months later, Sweden defeated the Czech Republic and won the 2006 World Championships
2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2006 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 70th such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 45 countries participated in four levels of competition. The competition also served as qualifications for the 2007 competition...
. They became the first team to win Olympic and World Championship gold in the same year. At the 2007 World Championship
2007 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
-Championship:Final standings# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # — relegated to Division I for 2008# — relegated to Division I for 2008- Group A :Final standings# — promoted to Championship for 2008# # # #...
in Moscow, Canada defeated Finland to win the gold medal. The following year
2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2008 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 72nd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 48 countries will participate in four levels of competition. The competition will also serve as qualifications for the 2009 competition...
, the tournament was held in Canada for the first time. Russia defeated the home team to win their first gold medal since 1993. The Russian team successfully defended their title with a 2–1 win over Canada in 2009
2009 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships
The 2009 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships was the 73rd such event hosted by the International Ice Hockey Federation. Teams representing 46 countries participated in four levels of competition. The competition also served as qualifications for the 2010 competition...
.
In 2009, NHL Players' Association director Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly (lawyer)
Paul V. Kelly is the executive director of College Hockey, Inc. and a former Executive Director of the National Hockey League Players' Association, serving in the latter role from October 24, 2007 to August 31, 2009.- Career :...
suggested that the World Championships be held every other year and that the NHL go on break to allow full player participation. IIHF president René Fasel
René Fasel
René Fasel DMD is a Swiss dentist and ice hockey official. He started his ice hockey career as a player for HC Fribourg-Gottéron, in 1960, and became a referee in 1972 and president of Switzerland's ice hockey federation in 1985. In 1994 he was elected president of the International Ice Hockey...
responded that the tournament has television contracts and hosting commitments and that a large change would be difficult to put in place.
The 2010 tournament
2010 IIHF World Championship
The 2010 IIHF World Championship was the 74th IIHF World Championship, an annual international ice hockey tournament. It took place between 7 and 23 May 2010 in Germany. The games were played in the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, SAP Arena in Mannheim, and one game at Veltins-Arena in Gelsenkirchen...
took place in Germany. The first game, between Germany and the United States, was played at Veltins-Arena
Veltins-Arena
Veltins-Arena is a football stadium in Gelsenkirchen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It opened in 2001, as the new home ground for German Bundesliga club Schalke 04....
in Gelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen
Gelsenkirchen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the Ruhr area. Its population in 2006 was c. 267,000....
and was attended by 77,803 people, setting a new record for the most attended game in hockey history. The tournament was noted for having several surprising preliminary round results, including: Switzerland beating Canada for the first time in World Championship play; Norway defeating eventual champions the Czech Republic; and Denmark upsetting Finland and the United States en route to their first ever quarterfinal appearance. The German team, which had finished 15th in 2009 and only avoided relegation to Division I because they were set to host the 2010 tournament, advanced to the semi-finals for the first time since the new playoff format was adapted. They finished fourth, losing to Sweden in the bronze medal game. In the gold medal game, the Czech Republic upset the Russian team, winning gold and ending the defending champions' 27 game winning streak.
The 2011 tournament was held in independent Slovakia for the first time. Finland won its second world championship with a victory over Sweden. The Czech Republic won the bronze medal over Russia.
Tournament structure
1930 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1930 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships were held between January 30 and February 10, 1930 in Chamonix, France, Vienna, Austria and Berlin, Germany...
. Twelve different nations participated. Canada's team was given a bye
Bye (sports)
A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing...
to the gold medal game, and the rest of the nations played an elimination tournament
Elimination tournament
Elimination tournament may refer to any of several types of tournament in which each player has a set number of loses before elimination from the competition.*Single-elimination tournament, in which a player is eliminated after losing to a single opponent...
to determine which nation would also play for the gold. In 1931
1931 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1931 World Championship was the 5th World Championship, an annual international ice hockey tournament. It took place between 1 and 8 February 1931 in Krynica-Zdrój, Poland...
, the World Championships switched to a similar format to what was used at the Olympics. Ten teams played series of round-robin format
Round-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
qualifying rounds were played to determine which nations participated in the medal round. Medals were awarded based on the final standings of the teams in the medal round. The format was changed several times in the 1930s, in some years there was a gold medal game, while in others the gold medal was awarded based on points. In 1937
1937 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1937 Ice Hockey World Championships were held between February 17 and February 27, 1937 in London, England.Only eleven teams took part in this World Championship. In the preliminary round, the teams were divided into three groups: two groups of four teams and a group with three teams...
, the tournament format was again switched to being similar to the version used at the Olympics. A preliminary round involving 11 teams was played, then the top four advanced to the medal round and medals were awarded based on points; no gold medal game was played. A gold medal game was played in 1938
1938 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1938 Ice Hockey World Championships were held between February 11 and February 20, 1938 in Prague, Czechoslovakia.Fourteen teams participated in this World Championship. It was first divided in three preliminary round groups—two groups of five and a group with four teams. In the preliminary...
; it was the last gold medal game played in the World Championships until 1992. In 1951, thirteen nations took part and were split into two groups. The top seven teams (Pool A) played for the World Championship. The other six (Pool B) played for ranking purposes. Generally eight teams played in the top-level Championship, although the number varied over the years, going as low as three (in 1953
1953 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1953 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships were held between March 7 and March 15, 1953 in Basel and Zurich, Switzerland.This was the first world championship tournament with only European teams....
) and as high as twelve (in 1959
1959 World Ice Hockey Championships
The 1959 Ice Hockey World Championships were held between March 5 and March 15, 1959 in Prague and Bratislava, Czechoslovakia.- Group 1 :- Group 2 :- Group 3 :- Final Round :- Consolation Round :...
). The same format was used until 1992. The format was criticized because often the gold medal winner was decided before the final game was played, such as at the 1988 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 1988 Winter Olympics
At the 1988 Winter Olympics one ice hockey event was held, men's ice hockey. Games were played at the Olympic Saddledome, the Stampede Corral, and Father David Bauer Olympic Arena in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.Source:* Gold - * Silver -...
. During a congress in 1990, the IIHF introduced a playoff system. As the IIHF grew, more teams began to participate at the World Championships, so more pools were introduced. Pool C games were first played in 1961 and Pool D was introduced in 1987. In 2001, the pools were renamed: Pool B became Division I, Pool C became Division II and Pool D became Division III.
From 1998 to 2011, the teams were divided into four groups and played each other in a round robin
Round-robin tournament
A round-robin tournament is a competition "in which each contestant meets all other contestants in turn".-Terminology:...
format preliminary round, and the top 3 teams in each group advance into the qualifying round. The qualifying round is another round of group play with two groups of six, with the top four teams in each group advancing into the knockout
Single-elimination tournament
A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...
playoff stage. The bottom four teams in the preliminary round played in another group as well; this group determined relegation
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
. After a round-robin format, the bottom two teams were usually relegated to play in Division I the following year.
The main group features 16 teams. The 16 teams are split into two groups based on their world ranking. The ranking is based on the standings of the last Winter Olympics and the last four World Championships. The results of more recent tournaments have a higher weight in the ranking. The last World Championship has 100% value, the tournament before 75% and so on. The Olympic tournament has the same value as the World Championship the same year. Beginning with the 2012 tournament, the qualifying round will be eliminated, and the 16 teams will be divided into two groups of eight, with each team playing seven games in the preliminary round. The top four teams from these groups will advance to the knockout
Single-elimination tournament
A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...
playoff stage. In the quarterfinals, the first place team from one group plays the fourth place team from the other group, and the second place team from one group plays the third place team from the other group. The winners advance to the semi-finals. The winners of the semi-finals advance to the Gold medal game, and the losers advance to the Bronze medal game.
Also starting in 2012, there will no longer be a relegation round. Instead, the eighth-place team in each group will be relegated to Division I. Division I is split into two groups of six, both groups play in round robin tournaments independent of each other and the championship division. The top team from both groups is promoted to the championship, while the bottom team is relegated to Division II. Division II works similarly to Division I, with two six-team groups where each last place team is relegated to the Division III group. There is no relegation from Division III.
Between 1998 and 2004, the IIHF held a "Far East" qualifying tournament for Asian teams with an automatic berth in the championship division on the line. Japan always won this tournament, but finished last at every World Championship except in 2004
2004 IIHF World Championship
The 2004 Men's Ice Hockey Championships were held between April 24 and May 9, 2004 in Prague and Ostrava, Czech Republic.It was the 68th annual event, and was run by the International Ice Hockey Federation .-Qualification Tournament:...
, when they finished 15th. The IIHF discontinued the qualifying tournament following the 2004 tournament, and Japan was relegated to compete in Division I.
Game rules
Rover (ice hockey)
In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, ice hockey consisted of seven positions. Along with the goaltender, two defencemen, and three forwards who remain today, a Rover was also part of the team. Unlike all the others, the rover did not have a set position, and roamed the ice at will, going...
. Following the tournament, the IIHF held a congress and decided to adopt the "Canadian rules"–six men per side and three periods of play.
At an IIHF congress in 1969, officials voted to allow body-checking
Checking (ice hockey)
Checking in ice hockey is any one of a number of defensive techniques. It is usually not a penalty.- Types :There are various types of checking:...
in all three zones in a rink similar to the NHL. Prior to that, body-checking was only allowed in the defending zone in international hockey. The IIHF later described the rule change as "arguably the most substantial and dramatic rule changes in the history of international hockey" because it allowed for a more aggressive game. The rule, which was first applied at the 1970 World Championships, was controversial: IIHF president Bunny Ahearne feared it would make ice hockey "a sport for goons." Several other rule changes were implemented in the early 1970s: players were required to wear helmet
Hockey helmet
A hockey helmet is worn by players of ice hockey and inline hockey to help protect the head from potential injury when hit by the puck, sticks, skates, boards, other players, or the ice.-Construction:...
s starting in 1970 and goaltender masks became mandatory in 1972. In 1992, the IIHF switched to using a playoff system to determine medalists and decided that tie games in the medal round would be decided in a shootout
Penalty shootout
The shootout is a method of determining a winner in sports matches that would have otherwise been drawn or tied. The rules for penalty shootouts vary between sports and even different competitions; however, the usual form is similar to penalty shots in that a single player takes one shot on goal...
. The IIHF decided to test a new rule in 1997 that would allow two-line passes
Pass (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a pass is the movement of the puck from one player to another, usually by a motion of the stick. A pass differs from a shot, in that a pass is typically weaker than a shot and is not directed at the opponent's net with the intention of scoring a goal...
. Prior to that, the neutral zone trap
Neutral zone trap
The neutral zone trap is a defensive strategy used in ice hockey to prevent an opposing team from proceeding through the neutral zone to force turnovers...
had slowed the game down and reduced scoring. At the 1997 World Championships, teams were allowed to decide if they wanted to test the rule. Although no team accepted the offer, the rule was adopted. The IIHF described it as "the most revolutionary rule change since allowing body-checking in all three zones in 1969. [...] The new rule almost immediately changed the game for the better. The 1999 IIHF World Championship in Norway was a stark contrast to the finals the year before with many more goals scored and with end-to-end action – not defence – dominating play."
The current IIHF rules differ slightly from the rules used in the NHL
National Hockey League rules
While the rules of the National Hockey League follows the general rules of ice hockey, it differs slightly from those used in international games organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation such as the Olympics.-Hockey rink:...
. One difference between NHL and IIHF rules is rink dimensions: the NHL rink is narrower, measuring 61x26 metres (200x85 feet), instead of the international size of 61x30 metres (200x98.5 feet). Another rule difference between the NHL and the IIHF rules concerns how icings
Icing (ice hockey)
Icing in ice hockey occurs when a player shoots the puck across at least two red lines, the opposing team's goal line being the last, and the puck remains untouched. It is, however, not icing if the puck is shot from behind the halfway line into the goal, or when the shot must be played by the...
are called. In the NHL, a linesman stops play due to icing if a defending player (other than the goaltender) touches the puck before an attacking player is able to, in contrast to the IIHF rules where play is stopped the moment the puck crosses the goal line. The NHL and IIHF differ also in penalty rules. The NHL, in addition to the minor and double minor penalties called in IIHF games, calls major penalties which are more dangerous infractions of the rules, such as fighting, and have a duration of five minutes. This is in contrast to the IIHF rule, in which players who fight are ejected from the game.
Beginning with the 2005–06 season, the NHL instituted several new rules. Some of them were already used by the IIHF, such as the shootout and making the two-line pass legal. Others which were not picked up by the IIHF, such as requiring smaller goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
equipment and the addition of the goaltender trapezoid to the rink. However, the IIHF did agree to follow the NHL's league's zero-tolerance policy on obstruction and required referees to call more hooking, holding and interference penalties. In 2006, the IIHF voted to eliminate tie games and institute a three point system: wins in regulation time would be worth three points, overtime wins would be two points and over-time losses would be worth one point. The system was first used at the 2007 World Championships.
Player eligibility
The World Championships have been open to all players, both professional and amateur, since 1977. The IIHF lists the following requirements for a player to be eligible to play:- "Each player must be under the jurisdiction of an IIHF member national association."
- "Each player must be a citizen of the country he represents."
If a player who has never played in an IIHF competition changes their citizenship, they must participate in national competitions in their new country for at least two consecutive years and have an international transfer card (ITC). If a player who has previously played in an IIHF tournament wishes to change their national team, they must have played in their new country for four years. A player can only do this once.
Divisions
As of 2011, the IIHF World Championships are split up into four different divisions. This is the alignment of the divisions, accurate as of the 2011 IIHF World RankingIIHF World Ranking
The IIHF World Ranking is a ranking of the national teams of member countries of the International Ice Hockey Federation.The system was approved by the IIHF congress in September 2003...
. Teams that are not ranked are not included here, for a full list of IIHF members, see List of members of the International Ice Hockey Federation.
Keys:
Promoted
Never been promoted/relegated (began in that division)
RelegatedChampionship
The Championship division comprises the top sixteen hockey nations in the world. The 76th championship2012 IIHF World Championship
The 2012 IIHF World Championship will be the 76th IIHF World Championship, an annual international ice hockey tournament. It will take place between 4–20 May 2012 in Finland and Sweden...
will be held between 4-20 May 2012 in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
and Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
| Nation | IIHF Ranking IIHF World Ranking The IIHF World Ranking is a ranking of the national teams of member countries of the International Ice Hockey Federation.The system was approved by the IIHF congress in September 2003... |
Member of IIHF since |
Member of division since |
Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group A | 11 | 1992 | 2005 | ||
| Group A | 4 | 1920 | 1951 | ||
| Group B | 5 | 1908 |
1993 | ||
| Group B | 13 | 1946 | 2003 | ||
| Group A | 2 | 1928 | 1951 | ||
| Group A | 14 | 1908 | 2008 | ||
| Group B | 8 | 1909 | 2007 | ||
| Group B | 17 | 1924 | 2012 | ||
| Group A | 16 | 1992 | 2012 | ||
| Group B | 12 | 1931 | 1997 | ||
| Group B | 9 | 1935 | 2006 | ||
| Group B | 1 | 1952 |
1992 | ||
| Group A | 10 | 1993 | 1996 | ||
| Group B | 3 | 1912 | 1951 | ||
| Group A | 7 | 1908 | 1998 | ||
| Group A | 6 | 1920 | 1985 |
A. The IIHF recognizes Bohemia, which joined in 1908, and Czechoslovakia as the predecessors to the Czech Republic, which officially became a member in 1993.
B. The IIHF recognizes the Soviet Union, which joined in 1952, as the predecessor to Russia, which officially became a member in 1992.
Division I
Division I is comprised twelve teams. Group A teams compete for promotion to the Elite Division with the loser being relegated to Division I Group B. Group B teams compete for promotion to Division I Group A while the loser is relegated to Division II Group A. In 2012, Group A games will be played in LjubljanaLjubljana
Ljubljana is the capital of Slovenia and its largest city. It is the centre of the City Municipality of Ljubljana. It is located in the centre of the country in the Ljubljana Basin, and is a mid-sized city of some 270,000 inhabitants...
, Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
and Group B games will be played in Krynica
Krynica
Krynica-Zdrój is a town in Nowy Sącz County, Lesser Poland Voivodeship, Poland in the Beskids mountains, inhabited by over eleven thousand people. It is the biggest spa town in Poland called The Pearl of Polish Spas; a tourist and winter sport centre. It was first recorded in 1547 and became a...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
from 15–21 April 2012.
| Nation | IIHF Ranking IIHF World Ranking The IIHF World Ranking is a ranking of the national teams of member countries of the International Ice Hockey Federation.The system was approved by the IIHF congress in September 2003... |
Member of IIHF since |
Member of division since |
Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group A | 15 | 1912 | 2012 |
||
| Group A | 21 | 1908 | 1995 |
||
| Group A | 20 | 1927 | 2010 |
||
| Group A | 22 | 1930 | 2005 |
||
| Group A | 18 | 1992 | 2012 |
||
| Group A | 19 | 1992 | 2008 |
||
| Group B | 34 | 1938 | 2012 | ||
| Group B | 24 | 1938 | 2005 | ||
| Group B | 25 | 1935 | 2000 | ||
| Group B | 23 | 1926 | 2003 |
||
| Group B | 28 | 1924 | 2012 | ||
| Group B | 31 | 1960 | 2010 |
Division II
Division II is comprised twelve teams. Group A teams compete for promotion to Division I Group B with the loser being relegated to Division II Group B. Group B teams compete for promotion to Division II Group A while the loser is relegated to Division III. In 2012, Group A games will be played in ReykjavikReykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
from 12-18 April 2012 and Group B games will be played in Sofia, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
from 2–8 April 2012.
| Nation | IIHF Ranking IIHF World Ranking The IIHF World Ranking is a ranking of the national teams of member countries of the International Ice Hockey Federation.The system was approved by the IIHF congress in September 2003... |
Member of IIHF since |
Member of division since |
Ref. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group A | 27 | 1992 | 2011 |
||
| Group A | 26 | 1935 | 2012 |
||
| Group A | 36 | 1992 | 2007 | ||
| Group A | 38 | 1977 | 2010 | ||
| Group A | 30 | 1939 | 2011 |
||
| Group A | 29 | 1923 | 2012 |
||
| Group B | 35 | 1908 | 2005 |
||
| Group B | 32 | 1960 | 1999 | ||
| Group B | 39 | 1963 | 2008 |
||
| Group B | 40 | 1991 | 2012 | ||
| Group B | 33 | 1985 | 2006 | ||
| Group B | 42 | 1937 | 2012 |
C. The IIHF recognizes Yugoslavia, which joined in 1939, as the predecessor to Serbia, which officially became a member in 2007.
Division III
Division III is made up of one group of six teams. The top two in each year's tournament are promoted to Division II Group B. The 2012 Division III tournament will be held in ErzurumErzurum
Erzurum is a city in Turkey. It is the largest city, the capital of Erzurum Province. The city is situated 1757 meters above sea level. Erzurum had a population of 361,235 in the 2000 census. .Erzurum, known as "The Rock" in NATO code, served as NATO's southeastern-most air force post during the...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, 15–21 April 2012.
| Nation | IIHF Ranking IIHF World Ranking The IIHF World Ranking is a ranking of the national teams of member countries of the International Ice Hockey Federation.The system was approved by the IIHF congress in September 2003... |
Member of IIHF since |
Member of division since |
Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 44 | 1987 | 2008 | ||
| 41 | 1996 | 2012 |
||
| 43 | 1912 | 2005 |
||
| 46 | 1999 | 2007 | ||
| 45 | 1963 | 2012 |
||
| 37 | 1991 | 2011 |
Ranked teams that did not participate in 2011:
| Nation | IIHF Ranking IIHF World Ranking The IIHF World Ranking is a ranking of the national teams of member countries of the International Ice Hockey Federation.The system was approved by the IIHF congress in September 2003... |
Member of IIHF since |
Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 48 | 2001 | ||
| 47 | 2001 |
Directorate Awards
Since 1954, the IIHF has given awards for play during the World Championship tournament. Voted on by the tournament directorate, the first awards recognised the top goaltender, forward and defenceman. In 1999, an award for the most valuable playerMost Valuable Player
In sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
was added. There is also an all-star team voted on by members of the media. In 2004, Canadian Dany Heatley
Dany Heatley
Daniel James Heatley is a Canadian professional ice hockey winger, and alternate captain for the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League . Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the top NHL rookie in 2002...
became the first player to lead in scoring, win the MVP award, win the best forward award and be named to the all-star team in the same year. He repeated the feat in 2008.
Other men's national team tournaments
World Championships:- IIHF World U18 Championship
- IIHF World U20 Championship
NHL participation:
- Ice hockey at the Olympic GamesIce hockey at the Olympic GamesIce hockey tournaments have been staged at the Olympic Games since 1920. The men's tournament was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games programme in 1924. The women's tournament was first held at the 1998 Winter Olympics...
- Canada CupCanada Cup (ice hockey)The Canada Cup was an invitational international ice hockey tournament held on five occasions between 1976 and 1991. The tournament was created to meet demand for a true world championship that allowed the best players from participating nations to compete regardless of their status as professional...
–An NHL-sanctioned tournament played between professional players from the top teams in the world five times between 1976 and 1991. - World Cup of HockeyWorld Cup of HockeyThe World Cup of Hockey is an international ice hockey tournament. Inaugurated in 1996, it is the successor to the previous Canada Cup, which ran from 1976 to 1991...
–The successor to the Canada Cup, played in 1996 and 2004. - Summit SeriesSummit SeriesThe Summit Series was the first competition between the Soviet and an NHL-inclusive Canadian national ice hockey teams, an eight-game series held in September 1972...
–The series played between Canada and the Soviet Union in 1972.
Other:
- Spengler CupSpengler CupThe Spengler Cup is an annual ice hockey tournament held in Davos, Switzerland. First held in 1923, the Spengler Cup is often cited as the oldest invitational ice hockey tournament in the world. The event is hosted by the Swiss team HC Davos and played each year in Davos, Switzerland, between...
–An invitational ice hockey tournament hosted by HC DavosHC DavosHockey Club Davos is a professional Swiss ice hockey club based in Davos, Switzerland. Davos play in the Swiss National League A, which is ranked as Europe's sixth best ice hockey league. The team is usually a strong force in the league and often bolster their roster with Swiss national team...
and held in DavosDavosDavos is a municipality in the district of Prättigau/Davos in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland. It has a permanent population of 11,248 . Davos is located on the Landwasser River, in the Swiss Alps, between the Plessur and Albula Range...
, Switzerland. A Canadian national team–mostly made up of Canadians playing in Europe–has participated in the tournament since 1984. - World U-17 Hockey ChallengeWorld U-17 Hockey ChallengeThe World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, originally known as the Quebec Esso Cup, is an international ice hockey tournament held annually in Canada. The tournament does not operate during years in which the Canada Winter Games are held. As such, the World Under-17 Challenge is held three out of every...
–A tournament held by Hockey CanadaHockey CanadaHockey Canada, formally known as the Canadian Hockey Association, is the national governing body of ice hockey in Canada and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. Hockey Canada controls a vast majority of ice hockey in Canada, with a few exceptions...
played by regional teams from Canada as well as several under-17 national teams from other nations. - Ivan Hlinka Memorial TournamentIvan Hlinka Memorial TournamentThe Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament is an annual event held each August for national under-18 ice hockey teams from around the world. Unsanctioned by the International Ice Hockey Federation , the tournament is not granted official status by the sport's governing body...
–An unofficial tournament for players under 18. It was previously known as the U-18 Junior World Cup, but renamed following the death of Ivan HlinkaIvan HlinkaIvan Hlinka was a Czech professional ice hockey player and coach. He was one of the most important figures in Czech ice hockey.-Playing career:...
.
See also
- List of IIHF World Championships by attendance
- IIHF World Women's U18 ChampionshipsIIHF World Women's U18 ChampionshipsThe IIHF World Women's U18 Championships are the junior edition of the IIHF World Women's Championships. The championships are limited to female ice hockey players under 18 years of age...
- IIHF World Women's Championships
- IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World ChampionshipsIPC Ice Sledge Hockey World ChampionshipsThe IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships are the world championships for Ice Sledge Hockey. They are organised by IPC Sledge Hockey .The first sanctioned Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships was held in Nynäshamn, Sweden in 1996.-Champions:...
External links
- International Ice Hockey Federation – official website
- World Championships – official website
- Result archive – Full results for men's, women's and junior championships since 1999 and medalists for all tournaments.