With the now-cancelled 2020 World Championships set to have begun today in Switzerland, TheIHLC.com will instead highlight the last time there was a major lack of competition in the century-plus lineage of the IHLC – Canada’s international hockey boycott from 1970-77, and how the IHLC could have looked if just one fateful game in 1970 went another way.

On 04 January 1970, the creator of modern ice hockey and the most dominant team in the game up to that point, Canada, shocked the hockey world when it announced that effective immediately, it was withdrawing from all international competition, including the World Championships, Olympic Games and other exhibition games or tournaments.

The move came out of protest against the International Ice Hockey Federation, who just two days prior had reversed a decision to allow non-NHL professional players to compete at the IIHF World Championships, in an effort to even the playing field against Iron Curtain nations that fielded teams of professional caliber, yet technically classified as amateur, players.

The decision had been made in July 1969 to allow up to nine non-NHL players per team, but when Canada nearly upset the Soviet Union at the 1969 Izvestia Tournament (even only with five pros), the IIHF, in an emergency meeting chaired by International Olympic Committee chairman Avery Brundage, rescinded the decision, claiming that the amateur status of any players competing with or against pros would disqualify them from future Olympic tournaments.

Canada was rightfully upset to have the rug pulled out, but stunned the hockey community when it withdrew itself completely, as they were set to host the 1970 World Championships in Montréal and Winnipeg that coming March, forcing the IIHF to re-use the 1969 host, Stockholm. Canada, in the midst of hosting the Czechoslovakian team in a cross-Canada tour when the boycott was confirmed, cut the tour short following a 2-1 Canada win in Ottawa on 04 January, leaving the Czechoslovakian team stranded early.

Canada would not return to any form of international competition until the NHL-organized Summit Series in 1972, and the boycott continued through the 1974 Summit Series and 1976 Canada Cup, with Canada only returning to non-NHL organized international tournaments in 1977.

Czechoslovakia had won the IHLC from Canada on 30 December 1969 in a game in Winnipeg, retaining with a win in Toronto and a tie in London, before losing the IHLC immediately before the boycott began. Canada, who held the IHLC for two and a half years until their first Summit Series game, just barely snatched the title before pulling it out of contention, effectively freezing the title.

So we wonder – what if Canada didn’t have the IHLC during the boycott?

If we imagine that Czechoslovakia had not lost that fateful exhibition game in Ottawa, and continued on as IHLC champions – while the title would have certainly seen more competition between 1970-74, including all five World Championships and the 1972 Olympics in Sapporo, the legendary 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union would have been missed altogether.

The title would eventually rejoin the existing IHLC lineage at the end of the 1974 Summit Series, when the Soviet Union would bring the title out of the boycott for good, with Canada returning to compete two years later.

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Alternate IHLC lineage, assuming Czechoslovakia continued with the title past 04 January 1970 (bolded games part of existing IHLC lineage):

🇨🇿 CZECHOSLOVAKIA – 12th reign, 1 win (continued from 1969)
484. 🇨🇿 TCH 3-0 SWE 🇸🇪 – 01 Mar 1970 – EX – Stockholm 🇸🇪

🇸🇪 SWEDEN – 15th reign, 3 wins
485. 🇸🇪 SWE 6-5 TCH 🇨🇿 – 03 Mar 1970 – EX – Gävle 🇸🇪
486. 🇸🇪 SWE 6-1 GDR 🇩🇪 – 14 Mar 1970 – WC – Stockholm 🇸🇪
487. 🇸🇪 SWE 5-4 TCH 🇨🇿 – 15 Mar 1970 – WC – Stockholm 🇸🇪

🇫🇮 FINLAND – 4th reign, 1 win
488. 🇫🇮 FIN 3-1 SWE 🇸🇪 – 17 Mar 1970 – WC – Stockholm 🇸🇪

🇨🇿 CZECHOSLOVAKIA – 13th reign, 3 wins + 1 tie
489. 🇨🇿 TCH 9-1 FIN 🇫🇮 – 20 Mar 1970 – WC – Stockholm 🇸🇪
490. 🇨🇿 TCH 10-2 POL 🇵🇱 – 22 Mar 1970 – WC – Stockholm 🇸🇪
491. 🇨🇿 TCH 2-2 SWE 🇸🇪 – 24 Mar 1970 – WC – Stockholm 🇸🇪
492. 🇨🇿 TCH 7-3 GDR 🇩🇪 – 25 Mar 1970 – WC – Stockholm 🇸🇪

🇷🇺 SOVIET UNION – 12th reign, 3 wins
493. 🇷🇺 URS 5-1 TCH 🇨🇿 – 27 Mar 1970 – WC – Stockholm 🇸🇪
494. 🇷🇺 URS 3-1 SWE 🇸🇪 – 30 Mar 1970 – WC – Stockholm 🇸🇪
495. 🇷🇺 URS 8-3 FIN 🇫🇮 – 06 Dec 1970 – IT – Moscow 🇷🇺

🇨🇿 CZECHOSLOVAKIA – 14th reign, 4 wins
496. 🇨🇿 TCH 3-1 URS 🇷🇺 – 09 Dec 1970 – IT – Moscow 🇷🇺
497. 🇨🇿 TCH 3-2 SWE 🇸🇪 – 11 Dec 1970 – IT – Moscow 🇷🇺
498. 🇨🇿 TCH 7-3 FIN 🇫🇮 – 13 Dec 1970 – IT – Moscow 🇷🇺
499. 🇨🇿 TCH 5-2 URS 🇷🇺 – 16 Dec 1970 – EX – Pardubice 🇨🇿

🇷🇺 SOVIET UNION – 13th reign, 4 wins
500. 🇷🇺 URS 6-0 TCH 🇨🇿 – 18 Dec 1970 – EX – Ostrava 🇨🇿
501. 🇷🇺 URS 6-4 FIN 🇫🇮 – 20 Dec 1970 – EX – Tampere 🇫🇮
502. 🇷🇺 URS 10-5 FIN 🇫🇮 – 21 Dec 1970 – EX – Helsinki 🇫🇮
503. 🇷🇺 URS 5-3 SWE 🇸🇪 – 02 Mar 1971 – EX – Stockholm 🇸🇪

🇸🇪 SWEDEN – 16th reign, 4 wins + 2 ties
504. 🇸🇪 SWE 4-2 URS 🇷🇺 – 04 Mar 1971 – EX – Gävle 🇸🇪
505. 🇸🇪 SWE 3-3 FIN 🇫🇮 – 14 Mar 1971 – EX – Stockholm 🇸🇪
506. 🇸🇪 SWE 4-2 USA 🇺🇸 – 20 Mar 1971 – WC – Bern 🇨🇭
507. 🇸🇪 SWE 6-5 TCH 🇨🇿 – 21 Mar 1971 – WC – Bern 🇨🇭
508. 🇸🇪 SWE 7-2 FRG 🇩🇪 – 23 Mar 1971 – WC – Bern 🇨🇭
509. 🇸🇪 SWE 1-1 FIN 🇫🇮 – 24 Mar 1971 – WC – Bern 🇨🇭

🇷🇺 SOVIET UNION – 14th reign, 4 wins
510. 🇷🇺 URS 8-0 SWE 🇸🇪 – 26 Mar 1971 – WC – Bern 🇨🇭
511. 🇷🇺 URS 12-2 FRG 🇩🇪 – 27 Mar 1971 – WC – Geneva 🇨🇭
512. 🇷🇺 URS 10-1 FIN 🇫🇮 – 29 Mar 1971 – WC – Geneva 🇨🇭
513. 🇷🇺 URS 7-5 USA 🇺🇸 – 30 Mar 1971 – WC – Geneva 🇨🇭

🇨🇿 CZECHOSLOVAKIA – 15th reign, 5 wins + 1 tie
514. 🇨🇿 TCH 5-2 URS 🇷🇺 – 01 Apr 1971 – WC – Geneva 🇨🇭
515. 🇨🇿 TCH 4-2 FIN 🇫🇮 – 03 Apr 1971 – WC – Geneva 🇨🇭
516. 🇨🇿 TCH 2-2 FIN 🇫🇮 – 07 Sep 1971 – EX – Tampere 🇫🇮
517. 🇨🇿 TCH 7-1 FIN 🇫🇮 – 09 Sep 1971 – EX – Helsinki 🇫🇮
518. 🇨🇿 TCH 2-1 SWE 🇸🇪 – 11 Sep 1971 – EX – Stockholm 🇸🇪
519. 🇨🇿 TCH 3-2 SWE 🇸🇪 – 12 Sep 1971 – EX – Gothenburg 🇸🇪

🇸🇪 SWEDEN – 17th reign, 1 win
520. 🇸🇪 SWE 3-1 TCH 🇨🇿 – 11 Dec 1971 – EX – Bratislava 🇨🇿

🇨🇿 CZECHOSLOVAKIA – 16th reign, 2 wins
521. 🇨🇿 TCH 4-2 SWE 🇸🇪 – 12 Dec 1971 – EX – Brno 🇨🇿
522. 🇨🇿 TCH 3-2 SWE 🇸🇪 – 14 Dec 1971 – EX – Gothenburg 🇸🇪

🇸🇪 SWEDEN – 18th reign, 1 win
523. 🇸🇪 SWE 2-0 TCH 🇨🇿 – 15 Dec 1971 – EX – Stockholm 🇸🇪

🇨🇿 CZECHOSLOVAKIA – 17th reign, 1 win
524. 🇨🇿 TCH 8-1 SWE 🇸🇪 – 17 Dec 1971 – IT – Moscow 🇷🇺

🇷🇺 SOVIET UNION – 15th reign, 2 wins
525. 🇷🇺 URS 5-2 TCH 🇨🇿 – 18 Dec 1971 – IT – Moscow 🇷🇺
526. 🇷🇺 URS 12-1 SWE 🇸🇪 – 20 Dec 1971 – IT – Moscow 🇷🇺

🇨🇿 CZECHOSLOVAKIA – 18th reign, 7 wins
527. 🇨🇿 TCH 3-1 URS 🇷🇺 – 21 Dec 1971 – EX – Moscow 🇷🇺
528. 🇨🇿 TCH 8-2 GDR 🇩🇪 – 11 Jan 1972 – EX – České Budějovice 🇨🇿
529. 🇨🇿 TCH 7-2 GDR 🇩🇪 – 12 Jan 1972 – EX – Jihlava 🇨🇿
530. 🇨🇿 TCH 7-2 SUI 🇨🇭 – 28 Jan 1972 – EX – Tokyo 🇯🇵
531. 🇨🇿 TCH 4-1 USA 🇺🇸 – 29 Jan 1972 – EX – Tokyo 🇯🇵
532. 🇨🇿 TCH 8-2 JPN 🇯🇵 – 03 Feb 1972 – OG – Sapporo 🇯🇵
533. 🇨🇿 TCH 14-1 POL 🇵🇱 – 05 Feb 1972 – OG – Sapporo 🇯🇵

🇺🇸 UNITED STATES – 8th reign, 1 win
534. 🇺🇸 USA 5-1 TCH 🇨🇿 – 07 Feb 1972 – OG – Sapporo 🇯🇵

🇷🇺 SOVIET UNION – 16th reign, 19 wins + 1 tie
535. 🇷🇺 URS 7-2 USA 🇺🇸 – 09 Feb 1972 – OG – Sapporo 🇯🇵
536. 🇷🇺 URS 9-3 POL 🇵🇱 – 10 Feb 1972 – OG – Sapporo 🇯🇵
537. 🇷🇺 URS 5-2 TCH 🇨🇿 – 13 Feb 1972 – OG – Sapporo 🇯🇵
538. 🇷🇺 URS 10-0 POL 🇵🇱 – 15 Feb 1972 – EX – Tokyo 🇯🇵
539. 🇷🇺 URS 9-5 JPN 🇯🇵 – 16 Feb 1972 – EX – Tokyo 🇯🇵
540. 🇷🇺 URS 10-1 FRG 🇩🇪 – 12 Mar 1972 – EX – Füssen 🇩🇪
541. 🇷🇺 URS 17-0 FRG 🇩🇪 – 14 Mar 1972 – EX – Garmisch-Partenkirchen 🇩🇪
542. 🇷🇺 URS 9-1 FRG 🇩🇪 – 15 Mar 1972 – EX – Landshut 🇩🇪
543. 🇷🇺 URS 3-1 FIN 🇫🇮 – 28 Mar 1972 – EX – Tampere 🇫🇮
544. 🇷🇺 URS 5-3 FIN 🇫🇮 – 29 Mar 1972 – EX – Helsinki 🇫🇮
545. 🇷🇺 URS 5-4 SWE 🇸🇪 – 31 Mar 1972 – EX – Stockholm 🇸🇪
546. 🇷🇺 URS 9-4 SWE 🇸🇪 – 01 Apr 1972 – EX – Stockholm 🇸🇪
547. 🇷🇺 URS 11-0 FRG 🇩🇪 – 07 Apr 1972 – WC – Prague 🇨🇿
548. 🇷🇺 URS 10-2 FIN 🇫🇮 – 09 Apr 1972 – WC – Prague 🇨🇿
549. 🇷🇺 URS 10-2 SUI 🇨🇭 – 10 Apr 1972 – WC – Prague 🇨🇿
550. 🇷🇺 URS 3-3 TCH 🇨🇿 – 12 Apr 1972 – WC – Prague 🇨🇿
551. 🇷🇺 URS 11-2 SWE 🇸🇪 – 14 Apr 1972 – WC – Prague 🇨🇿
552. 🇷🇺 URS 7-0 FRG 🇩🇪 – 15 Apr 1972 – WC – Prague 🇨🇿
553. 🇷🇺 URS 7-2 FIN 🇫🇮 – 17 Apr 1972 – WC – Prague 🇨🇿
554. 🇷🇺 URS 14-0 SUI 🇨🇭 – 18 Apr 1972 – WC – Prague 🇨🇿

🇨🇿 CZECHOSLOVAKIA – 19th reign, 7 wins + 4 ties
555. 🇨🇿 TCH 3-2 URS 🇷🇺 – 20 Apr 1972 – WC – Prague 🇨🇿
556. 🇨🇿 TCH 8-2 FIN 🇫🇮 – 22 Apr 1972 – WC – Prague 🇨🇿
557. 🇨🇿 TCH 2-2 GDR 🇩🇪 – 25 Sep 1972 – EX – Ústí nad Labem 🇨🇿
558. 🇨🇿 TCH 3-1 GDR 🇩🇪 – 26 Sep 1972 – EX – Liberec 🇨🇿
559. 🇨🇿 TCH 8-1 GDR 🇩🇪 – 27 Sep 1972 – EX – Prague 🇨🇿
560. 🇨🇿 TCH 3-3 CAN 🇨🇦 – 30 Sep 1972 – SS – Prague 🇨🇿
561. 🇨🇿 TCH 10-4 SWE 🇸🇪 – 08 Nov 1972 – EX – Prague 🇨🇿
562. 🇨🇿 TCH 3-2 SWE 🇸🇪 – 09 Nov 1972 – EX – Prague 🇨🇿
563. 🇨🇿 TCH 2-2 SWE 🇸🇪 – 18 Dec 1972 – IT – Moscow 🇷🇺
564. 🇨🇿 TCH 3-0 POL 🇵🇱 – 20 Dec 1972 – IT – Moscow 🇷🇺
565. 🇨🇿 TCH 1-1 FIN 🇫🇮 – 21 Dec 1972 – IT – Moscow 🇷🇺

🇷🇺 SOVIET UNION – 17th reign, 4 wins
566. 🇷🇺 URS 8-4 TCH 🇨🇿 – 23 Dec 1972 – IT – Moscow 🇷🇺
567. 🇷🇺 URS 5-1 FIN 🇫🇮 – 17 Mar 1973 – EX – Tampere 🇫🇮
568. 🇷🇺 URS 5-2 FIN 🇫🇮 – 18 Mar 1973 – EX – Helsinki 🇫🇮
569. 🇷🇺 URS 9-4 SWE 🇸🇪 – 21 Mar 1973 – EX – Stockholm 🇸🇪

🇸🇪 SWEDEN – 19th reign, 5 wins
570. 🇸🇪 SWE 4-3 URS 🇷🇺 – 22 Mar 1973 – EX – Gävle 🇸🇪
571. 🇸🇪 SWE 11-2 POL 🇵🇱 – 01 Apr 1973 – WC – Moscow 🇷🇺
572. 🇸🇪 SWE 2-0 TCH 🇨🇿 – 02 Apr 1973 – WC – Moscow 🇷🇺
573. 🇸🇪 SWE 8-2 FRG 🇩🇪 – 04 Apr 1973 – WC – Moscow 🇷🇺
574. 🇸🇪 SWE 3-2 FIN 🇫🇮 – 05 Apr 1973 – WC – Moscow 🇷🇺

🇷🇺 SOVIET UNION – 18th reign, 13 wins + 1 tie
575. 🇷🇺 URS 6-1 SWE 🇸🇪 – 07 Apr 1973 – WC – Moscow 🇷🇺
576. 🇷🇺 URS 18-2 FRG 🇩🇪 – 08 Apr 1973 – WC – Moscow 🇷🇺
577. 🇷🇺 URS 9-1 FIN 🇫🇮 – 10 Apr 1973 – WC – Moscow 🇷🇺
578. 🇷🇺 URS 20-0 POL 🇵🇱 – 11 Apr 1973 – WC – Moscow 🇷🇺
579. 🇷🇺 URS 4-2 TCH 🇨🇿 – 13 Apr 1973 – WC – Moscow 🇷🇺
580. 🇷🇺 URS 6-4 SWE 🇸🇪 – 15 Apr 1973 – WC – Moscow 🇷🇺
581. 🇷🇺 URS 4-4 FIN 🇫🇮 – 03 Nov 1973 – EX – Tampere 🇫🇮
582. 🇷🇺 URS 7-1 FIN 🇫🇮 – 04 Nov 1973 – EX – Helsinki 🇫🇮
583. 🇷🇺 URS 6-1 GDR 🇩🇪 – 27 Nov 1973 – EX – Weisswasser 🇩🇪
584. 🇷🇺 URS 5-1 GDR 🇩🇪 – 28 Nov 1973 – EX – East Berlin 🇩🇪
585. 🇷🇺 URS 8-3 SWE 🇸🇪 – 16 Dec 1973 – IT – Moscow 🇷🇺
586. 🇷🇺 URS 10-1 POL 🇵🇱 – 17 Dec 1973 – IT – Moscow 🇷🇺
587. 🇷🇺 URS 7-0 FIN 🇫🇮 – 19 Dec 1973 – IT – Moscow 🇷🇺
588. 🇷🇺 URS 7-1 TCH 🇨🇿 – 21 Dec 1973 – IT – Moscow 🇷🇺

🇨🇿 CZECHOSLOVAKIA – 20th reign, 1 win
589. 🇨🇿 TCH 7-5 URS 🇷🇺 – 10 Mar 1974 – EX – Prague 🇨🇿

🇷🇺 SOVIET UNION – 19th reign, 6 wins + 2 ties
590. 🇷🇺 URS 4-3 TCH 🇨🇿 – 12 Mar 1974 – EX – Prague 🇨🇿
591. 🇷🇺 URS 11-2 FIN 🇫🇮 – 19 Mar 1974 – EX – Pori 🇫🇮
592. 🇷🇺 URS 4-4 FIN 🇫🇮 – 20 Mar 1974 – EX – Tampere 🇫🇮
593. 🇷🇺 URS 7-2 SWE 🇸🇪 – 27 Mar 1974 – EX – Gothenburg 🇸🇪
594. 🇷🇺 URS 1-1 SWE 🇸🇪 – 29 Mar 1974 – EX – Stockholm 🇸🇪
595. 🇷🇺 URS 5-0 FRG 🇩🇪 – 05 Apr 1974 – WC – Helsinki 🇫🇮
596. 🇷🇺 URS 7-1 FIN 🇫🇮 – 07 Apr 1974 – WC – Helsinki 🇫🇮
597. 🇷🇺 URS 8-3 POL 🇵🇱 – 08 Apr 1974 – WC – Helsinki 🇫🇮

🇨🇿 CZECHOSLOVAKIA – 21st reign, 3 wins
598. 🇨🇿 TCH 7-2 URS 🇷🇺 – 10 Apr 1974 – WC – Helsinki 🇫🇮
599. 🇨🇿 TCH 5-0 FIN 🇫🇮 – 12 Apr 1974 – WC – Helsinki 🇫🇮
600. 🇨🇿 TCH 12-3 POL 🇵🇱 – 13 Apr 1974 – WC – Helsinki 🇫🇮

🇸🇪 SWEDEN – 20th reign, 3 wins
601. 🇸🇪 SWE 3-0 TCH 🇨🇿 – 15 Apr 1974 – WC – Helsinki 🇫🇮
602. 🇸🇪 SWE 9-3 GDR 🇩🇪 – 17 Apr 1974 – WC – Helsinki 🇫🇮
603. 🇸🇪 SWE 6-2 FIN 🇫🇮 – 18 Apr 1974 – WC – Helsinki 🇫🇮

🇷🇺 SOVIET UNION – 20th reign, 4 wins + 1 tie
604. 🇷🇺 URS 3-1 SWE 🇸🇪 – 20 Apr 1974 – WC – Helsinki 🇫🇮
605. 🇷🇺 URS 8-1 FIN 🇫🇮 – 10 Sep 1974 – EX – Moscow 🇷🇺
606. 🇷🇺 URS 7-3 FIN 🇫🇮 – 11 Sep 1974 – EX – Moscow 🇷🇺
607. 🇷🇺 URS 4-3 FIN 🇫🇮 – 13 Sep 1974 – EX – Moscow 🇷🇺
608. 🇷🇺 URS 3-3 CAN 🇨🇦 – 17 Sep 1974 – SS – Québec 🇨🇦

🇨🇦 CANADA – 19th reign, 1 win
609. 🇨🇦 CAN 4-1 URS 🇷🇺 – 19 Sep 1974 – SS – Toronto 🇨🇦

🇷🇺 SOVIET UNION – 21st reign, 4 wins + 2 ties (continues further into 1974)
610. 🇷🇺 URS 8-5 CAN 🇨🇦 – 21 Sep 1974 – SS – Winnipeg 🇨🇦
611. 🇷🇺 URS 5-5 CAN 🇨🇦 – 23 Sep 1974 – SS – Vancouver 🇨🇦
612. 🇷🇺 URS 3-2 CAN 🇨🇦 – 01 Oct 1974 – SS – Moscow 🇷🇺
613. 🇷🇺 URS 5-2 CAN 🇨🇦 – 03 Oct 1974 – SS – Moscow 🇷🇺
614. 🇷🇺 URS 4-4 CAN 🇨🇦 – 05 Oct 1974 – SS – Moscow 🇷🇺
615. 🇷🇺 URS 3-2 CAN 🇨🇦 – 06 Oct 1974 – SS – Moscow 🇷🇺

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In the current IHLC lineage, the Soviet Union surpassed Canada as the top IHLC ranked team with 194 wins on 30 Dec 1981; but in the alternate timeline, the USSR would surpass Canada with win #178 by 18 Dec 1974, putting them as the top-ranked team seven years earlier than the existing lineage. However, the alternate timeline does not account for any 1972 Summit Series games, as Czechoslovakia would have held the IHLC prior to the tournament starting.

IHLC RANKINGS (as of 06 Oct 1974)
TEAM	IHLC WINS (existing lineage)	IHLC WINS (alternate lineage)
🇨🇦 Canada	181	177 (⬇️ 4)
🇷🇺 Soviet Union	117	171 (⬆️ 54)
🇨🇿 Czechoslovakia	41	79 (⬆️ 38)
🇸🇪 Sweden	40	57 (⬆️ 17)
🇺🇸 United States	18	19 (⬆️ 1)
🇫🇮 Finland	5	6 (⬆️ 1)

Photo Credit: The Globe & Mail