Category Archives: IHLC Team Profiles

IHLC Team Profiles – 🇧🇪 Belgium

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🇧🇪 BELGIUM (BEL) Men’s National Ice Hockey Team (1905-)
4 wins, 2 reigns, 4 games with IHLC – ranked 14th
IHLC last held 06 March 1909

Belgium made history in Brussels on 4 March 1905 when club squad FBP Brussels defeated CP Paris, representing France, to win the first ever international ice hockey game, becoming the first ever International Hockey Lineal Champions in the process. Belgium was active in competing for the IHLC regularly throughout the first quarter century, and hosted the first ever Olympic hockey tournament at the 1920 Games in Antwerp, but following the outbreak of World War II, largely dropped from international competition, only recently moving its way up to Division II of the World Championship.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇫🇮 Finland (Men’s)

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🇫🇮 FINLAND (FIN) Men’s National Ice Hockey Team (1928-)
143 wins, 60 reigns, 158 games with IHLC – ranked 5th
IHLC last held 29 April 2023

While the Finns have always been a major contender on the world hockey stage, they remarkably did not play for the IHLC until 1949, winning their first title in 1951. Since then, however, the Leijonat have been a consistent threat in the hockey world, amassing over 100 IHLC wins and nearly 50 reigns. Finland has finally begun to break through at major world tournaments, winning three World Championship after 50+ appearances, and their first Olympic Gold medal in 2022.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇰🇷 South Korea (Women’s)

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🇰🇷 SOUTH KOREA (KOR) Women’s National Ice Hockey Team (1999-)
played at Olympics as UNIFIED KOREA (COR), 2018

Korea emerged as an IHLC by way of the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, where Korea hosted a historic unified squad with players from the North joining the South Koreans. While they did not get to contend for the IHLC, and finished last in the tournament, they will look climb their way into the women’s hockey medal picture in the future…for good.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇸🇮 Slovenia

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🇸🇮 SLOVENIA (SLO) Men’s National Ice Hockey Team (1992-)

A newcomer to the world stage, the Slovenian national team first competed for the IHLC in 2003 – however, it was not until a pair of major wins at the 2014 Olympics that the Risi grabbed the world’s attention, led by NHL star (and only Slovene NHLer) Anže Kopitar. Slovenia nearly won the IHLC only seven years after their first game, dropping a 3-2 shootout heartbreaker to Denmark to remain IHLC-less. Slovenia is beginning now to compete more regularly in the top pool of the World Championship, and look for them to break their IHLC winless streak very, very soon.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇺🇦 Ukraine (Men’s)

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🇺🇦 UKRAINE (UKR) Men’s National Ice Hockey Team (1992-)

Following the split of the Soviet Union, the Ukrainian squad emerged in 1992, and first competed for the IHLC in 2001. After nearly winning the title following a 1-1 tie with the United States at the 2005 World Championship, the Ukraine has dropped off from the IHLC map for now, after being relegated to Division I in 2008, where they have yet to climb back into the Championship pool.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇷🇺 Russia (Junior)

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🇷🇺 RUSSIA (RUS) Men’s Junior National Ice Hockey Team (1992-)
played as SOVIET UNION (URS), 1973-91, COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES (CIS), 1992
120 wins, 29 reigns, 125 games with IHLC – ranked 2nd
IHLC last held 29 December 2019

The first junior IHLC champion led the all-time rankings in wins for nearly the first half-century of championship junior hockey, dominating the first decade of junior hockey while turning out the future stars of the game that would overpower international hockey until the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Since becoming an independent nation, Russia is always a threat and medal contender, and continues to post impressive numbers while maintaining their spot atop the IHLC throne.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇷🇺 Russia (Women’s)

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🇷🇺 RUSSIA (RUS) Women’s National Ice Hockey Team (1994-)
played at Olympics as OLYMPIC ATHLETES FROM RUSSIA (OAR), 2018; RUSSIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (ROC), 2022
played at World Championships as RUSSIAN OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (ROC), 2021-22
1 win, 1 reign, 1 game with IHLC – ranked 5th
IHLC last held 05 January 2009

An emerging squad on the women’s hockey front, Russia first played competitive women’s hockey in 1994, and played for their first IHLC three years later. Russia has played spoiler at past Women’s World Championship by upsetting Finland for bronze in both 2001 and 2013, and emerged as a new top European challenger for the mainstays in the women’s IHLC history with their first (and so far only) IHLC title in 2009.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇨🇳 China (Women’s)

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🇨🇳 CHINA (CHN) Women’s National Ice Hockey Team (1992-)

China has been a unique contender for the women’s IHLC, emerging as an unlikely threat at the 1992 World Championship – but more remarkable has been their ability to stay competitive in a nation not known for its hockey prowess. China has nearly upset the dominant Canadian squad on two occasions, at the 1996 Pacific Rim Championship and 1998 Nagano Olympics. China has played nearly twenty games but has yet to win the IHLC, and will surely continue to compete to win their elusive first title.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇨🇭 Switzerland (Women’s)

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🇨🇭 SWITZERLAND (SUI) Women’s National Ice Hockey Team (1987-)

While the Swiss team is considered by many to be the next emerging nation to break the “big four” of women’s hockey (Canada, USA, Sweden, Finland), the Eisgenossen have yet to win the IHLC after multiple attempts. However, the team has come a long way from their 10-0 drubbing in the first ever women’s international game in 1987, coming quite close at the 2014 Olympics, where they emerged a surprising Bronze medal winner, the first non-“big four” team to medal in Olympic women’s hockey.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇨🇿 Czechia (Junior)

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🇨🇿 CZECHIA (CZE) Men’s Junior National Ice Hockey Team (1993-)
played as CZECHOSLOVAKIA (TCH), 1973-92
40 wins, 21 reigns, 42 games with IHLC – ranked 6th
IHLC last held 29 December 2022

Since the split of Czechoslovakia during the 1993 World Junior Championship, the Czechs have remained in the Top Division, winning back-to-back Gold in 2001 and 2004, along with a Bronze in 2005. While they would not medal again for nearly two decades, they continue to remain a consistent threat in the tournament, looking to recreate the turn of the millennium magic in the future.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇨🇿 Czechia (Men’s)

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🇨🇿 CZECHIA (CZE) Men’s National Ice Hockey Team (1993-)
played as BOHEMIA (BOH), 1905-20; CZECHOSLOVAKIA (TCH), 1920-92
214 wins, 80 reigns, 230 games with IHLC – ranked 4th
current IHLC title holders (since 26 May 2024)

The Czechs has competed for the IHLC since nearly the beginning, first challenging for the IHLC as Bohemia in 1909, and then as Czechoslovakia for the majority of the 20th century, where they established their dominance as a major player. The Czechs were seemingly the only other European power to be able to compete with the mighty Soviet Union, shocking the Soviets (and the world) with a number of World Championship wins. And following the split of Czechoslovakia in 1992, the Czech team shocked the world again by winning the first Olympics with NHL players eligible to play in 1998.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇩🇰 Denmark (Men’s)

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🇩🇰 DENMARK (DEN) Men’s National Ice Hockey Team (1949-)
4 wins, 3 reigns, 4 games with IHLC – ranked 15th
IHLC last held 28 April 2017

Despite holding the dubious record of one of the largest defeats in hockey, a 47-0 drubbing from Canada at the 1949 World Championship, the Danes emerged on the championship stage in 2003, entering the Top Division, where they have remained ever since. The Lions won their first IHLC in 2010, repeating again as champions in 2014 and 2017. With a growing contingent of NHLers now putting on the jersey, Denmark will surely be a major competitor in the future.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan (Men’s)

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🇰🇿 KAZAKHSTAN (KAZ) Men’s National Ice Hockey Team (1992-)
3 wins, 1 reign, 4 games with IHLC – ranked 16th
IHLC last held 13 February 1998

First competing internationally in 1992 after the USSR’s dissolution, Kazakhstan first competed for the IHLC in 1997, winning the title in their first attempt, and being the unlikely title holder at the start of the 1998 Olympics. While the Kazakhs have failed to win the IHLC since, they are a regular competitor on the championship stage, and have a regular flow of players who compete professionally in both the NHL and KHL.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇳🇴 Norway (Women’s)

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🇳🇴 NORWAY (NOR) Women’s National Ice Hockey Team (1988-)

The Norway’s women’s squad has only contended for the IHLC a single time, a 12-0 loss to Canada at the 1994 World Championship. The Isbjørnene has failed to qualify for a World Championship since 1997, and have yet to play for Olympic Gold in women’s hockey.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇫🇮 Finland (Junior)

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🇫🇮 FINLAND (FIN) Men’s Junior National Ice Hockey Team (1973-)
90 wins, 33 reigns, 97 games with IHLC – ranked 4th
IHLC last held 15 August 2022

The Leijonat, who have participated in every World Junior Championship and only once have ever faced relegation, have been five-time World Champions, in 1987, 1998, 2014, 2016 and 2019, with another ten-plus Silver and Bronze victories. The team has flip flopped between perennial medal contenders and sitting near the bottom of the Top Division, but are always a continual thorn in the sides of the tournament heavy hitters, and are always looking to play spoiler.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇸🇰 Slovakia (Men’s)

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🇸🇰 SLOVAKIA (SVK) Men’s National Ice Hockey Team (1993-)
51 wins, 12 reigns, 60 games with IHLC – ranked 8th
IHLC last held 28 April 2018

Established out of the division of Czechoslovakia in 1992, the Slovak team was forced into Group C as a new squad in the World Championship stage. However, a chance exhibition game against France in 1993 led to Slovakia’s first IHLC win. Shockingly though, Slovakia managed to hold on to the IHLC for half a year, winning 18 straight (including wins over Canada, Russia and the United States) in their first ever reign, virtually unheard of in the modern era for emerging teams. Slovakia has continued to surprise, winning the 2002 World Championship and competing for a medal at the 2010 Olympics, remarkably cracking the top ten in IHLC rankings in just over twenty years.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇳🇴 Norway (Junior)

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🇳🇴 NORWAY (NOR) Men’s Junior National Ice Hockey Team (1978-)

Norway first joined the World Juniors scene in 1979, ping-ponging between the Top Division and lower pools in the 1980’s and early 1990’s. Norway remained in the lower divisions until promotion in 2005, where they have since returned again in 2010, 2013 and 2023, but have struggled in recent years to maintain any momentum in the Top Division.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇩🇪 Germany (Junior)

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🇩🇪 GERMANY (GER) Men’s Junior National Ice Hockey Team (1991-)
played as WEST GERMANY (FRG), 1976-90

The German junior team has been a constant at the World Junior Championship since the inaugural tournament in 1977, only missing the tournament three times between 1977 and 1998. But following relegation in 1998, the Träger der Adler have been on an elevator ride to and from the Top Division in alternating years, only staying for consecutive seasons from 2013-15 and 2021-23, but are looking to become a permanent mainstay in the future.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇨🇭 Switzerland (Men’s)

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🇨🇭 SWITZERLAND (SUI) Men’s National Ice Hockey Team (1909-)
74 wins, 23 reigns, 76 games with IHLC – ranked 6th
IHLC last held 26 May 2024

The Swiss squad has played for the IHLC since nearly the beginning, first contending in 1908 and winning their first IHLC title in 1934. However, like many western European teams following World War II, the Eisgenossen were forced out of championship play over more powerful Eastern European teams. However, in recent years the Swiss have made a resurgence, on the backs of more and more Swiss NHL players, to contend for glory, holding the IHLC for long periods of time, moving closer and closer to capturing their first ever World Championship.
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IHLC Team Profiles – 🇩🇰 Denmark (Junior)

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🇩🇰 DENMARK (DEN) Men’s Junior National Ice Hockey Team (1979-)

After decades of futility in the lower rungs of the World Junior Championship tournament, Denmark finally broke through to the Top Division in 2008, and despite some setbacks, returned in 2015 and have since become a regular in the Top Division, even finishing a surprising fifth in 2017. Look for the Lions to not only stay for good, but to make some larger splashes in the years to come.
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