The IIHF today released the schedule for the men’s tournament at the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, with the tournament beginning on Wednesday, 09 February, with defending champions the Russian Olympic Committee starting their title defence on the opening day, in the first tournament since 2014 to feature NHL players on Olympic rosters.
The tournament will follow the same format as PyeongChang, being condensed to a five day preliminary round , and expanding to four games per day, with the exception of opening day. The tournament begins with the ROC vs. Switzerland and Czechia vs. Denmark from Group B, while Group A opens the following day with hosts China against the United States, and Canada facing 2018 Silver medallists Germany, while Group C will also commence on 10 February with Sweden vs. Latvia and Finland vs. Slovakia.
This tournament should have much more fanfare than 2018, if only for the fact that NHL players will be returning for the first time in Sochi, marking the sixth time in Olympic history that the NHL season will stop for the Olympics. The Russians, who are defending champions but have not won Gold in a “best on best” Olympics since play began in 1998, will look to defend against Canada, looking to win three straight Golds (after 2010 and 2014) and four of five in “best on best” play, while other previous champs Sweden and Czechia, along with other contenders from the likes of the United States and Finland, will look to take advantage having the top professionals in the world on their roster.
The tournament schedule, with the majority of games to be played at the National Indoor Stadium (unless denoted otherwise), is as follows:
| GROUP A 🇨🇦 🇨🇳 🇩🇪 🇺🇸 |
GROUP B 🇨🇿 🇩🇰 🇷🇺 🇨🇭 |
GROUP C 🇫🇮 🇱🇻 🇸🇰 🇸🇪 |
| Wednesday, 09 February | ||
| 🇷🇺 ROC vs. Switzerland 🇨🇭 🇨🇿 Czechia vs. Denmark 🇩🇰 |
||
| Thursday, 10 February | ||
| 🇨🇳 China vs. USA 🇺🇸 🇨🇦 Canada vs. Germany 🇩🇪* |
🇱🇻 Latvia vs. Sweden 🇸🇪 🇫🇮 Finland vs. Slovakia 🇸🇰 |
|
| Friday, 11 February | ||
| 🇩🇰 Denmark vs. ROC 🇷🇺 🇨🇿 Czechia vs. Switzerland 🇨🇭 |
🇸🇰 Slovakia vs. Sweden 🇸🇪* 🇫🇮 Finland vs. Latvia 🇱🇻 |
|
| Saturday, 12 February | ||
| 🇨🇦 Canada vs. USA 🇺🇸 🇨🇳 China vs. Germany 🇩🇪 |
🇨🇿 Czechia vs. ROC 🇷🇺 🇩🇰 Denmark vs. Switzerland 🇨🇭* |
|
| Sunday, 13 February | ||
| 🇨🇦 Canada vs. China 🇨🇳 🇩🇪 Germany vs. USA 🇺🇸* |
🇱🇻 Latvia vs. Slovakia 🇸🇰 🇫🇮 Finland vs. Sweden 🇸🇪 |
|
| Tuesday, 15 February | ||
| Qualification #1 | Qualification #2 Qualification #3* |
Qualification #4* |
| Wednesday, 16 February | ||
| Quarterfinal #1 | Quarterfinal #2 Quarterfinal #3* |
Quarterfinal #4 |
| Friday, 18 February | ||
| Semifinal #1 Semifinal #2 |
||
| Saturday, 19 February | ||
| Bronze Medal Game | ||
| Sunday, 20 February | ||
| Gold Medal Game | ||
With Canada being the unlikely victors of the 2021 World Championships in Latvia, they will be likeliest to carry the IHLC into Beijing, whether to start the tournament against Germany or as part of a pre-Olympic exhibition tuneup, but the IHLC will likely not see any action with NHL stars until at least the new year of 2022. However, once the title makes its way to China, whether it stays in Group A or otherwise, it will be in for quite a ride in the leadup to the Gold Medal Game!
* Game to be held at Wukesong Sports Centre
Photo Credit: The Beijinger – IIHF – HHOF – IOC
International Hockey Lineal Championship 