🇨🇭 🇯🇵 Switzerland And Japan Clinch Final Olympic Qualifying Spots

jpnsui-qualify
After nearly half a year of Olympic qualifiers that began in Mexico last October, four rounds of play and 22 teams competing for a mere two spots in PyeongChang, the final qualification spots were today clinched by Japan and Switzerland for the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Continue reading

IIHF Hall Of Fame Announces 2017 Inductees

iihfhall2017
The IIHF has announced the Hall Of Fame Class of 2017, to be inducted at May’s World Championships in Cologne, Germany. All five players set to be inducted into the players category bring a swath of major international accomplishments (including many International Hockey Lineal Championships) to the Hall, as the IIHF is set to honour Joe Sakic, Saku Koivu, Teemu Selänne, Angela Ruggiero and Uwe Krupp.
Continue reading

🇨🇦 Hayley Wickenheiser Retires After Illustrious 23 Year Career

wickenheiser-retires
The most decorated player in women’s hockey history today announced her retirement from professional hockey, with Hayley Wickenheiser stepping down from the CWHL’s Calgary Inferno and Team Canada, which she joined in 1994 at the age of 15.
Continue reading

🇳🇴 🇸🇮 🇩🇪 Norway, Slovenia, Germany Nab Final 2018 Olympic Spots

OLYqualifiers
After nearly a year of Olympic qualifiers that began in Bulgaria last October, three rounds of play and 28 teams competing for just three spots in PyeongChang, the final slots were today locked up by Norway, Slovenia and Germany for the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Continue reading

🇨🇦 🇺🇸 IHLC Classics: Canada’s Gold Drought Ends

From time to time, TheIHLC.com will feature detailed recaps and boxscores of some of the most legendary games in international hockey history, considered to be “IHLC Classics.” Today, in honour of Canada Day, we look back at the end of Canada’s Olympic Gold Medal drought in 2002, where 50 years of futility was put to rest in Salt Lake City.

m-canada-2002
🇨🇦 Canada 5-2 United States 🇺🇸

Olympic Gold Medal Game
E Center, West Valley City 🇺🇸
Sunday, 24 February 2002

After the great disappointment of Nagano, when Canada failed to win a medal despite a tremendous lineup and Gold medal expectations, Canada was leaving nothing to chance four years later. Wayne Gretzky, who was not selected in the shootout against the Czechs in 1998, had retired and been named Canada’s general manager, and he surrounded himself with a roster of executives unlike anything in Canada’s hockey history.

Collectively, they chose the 20 skaters and three goalies who would try to bring their country Olympic glory for the first time since 1952.
Continue reading →

Hockey Hall Of Fame Announces 2016 Class

HHOF-2016inductees
The Hockey Hall Of Fame today announced the newest members that will join as the Class of 2016 on 14 November, with Eric Lindros, Sergei Makarov, Rogatien Vachon and Pat Quinn getting the call, bringing their professional and international accolades (along with their International Hockey Lineal Championship reigns) to the famed Hall in Toronto.
Continue reading

🇨🇦 Vincent Lecavalier Formally Announces Retirement From Kings

lecavalier-retired
Making good on his announcement at the start of the 2015-16 NHL season, Vincent Lecavalier today announced his retirement from professional hockey, his 17 year NHL career concluding with the Los Angeles Kings’ first round playoff exit.
Continue reading

🇸🇪 🇨🇦 IHLC Classics: Sweden’s First Olympic Title

From time to time, TheIHLC.com will feature detailed recaps and boxscores of some of the most legendary games in international hockey history, considered to be “IHLC Classics.” Today, in honour of National Day (“Sveriges Nationaldag”) in Sweden, we look back at Sweden’s first Olympic Gold Medal, capped off by Peter Forsberg’s legendary shootout winner over Canada.

m-sweden-1994
🇸🇪 Sweden 3-2 Canada 🇨🇦 (SO)
Olympic Gold Medal Game
Håkons Hall, Lillehammer 🇳🇴
Sunday, 27 February 1994

In Sweden, this is one of the most replayed sports highlights on television. Peter Forsberg was only 20 years old when he pulled the most daring move on Canada’s goaltender Corey Hirsch in the Olympic gold medal game in Lillehammer in 1994. A classic sports moment which became immortalized on a stamp.
Continue reading →

🇨🇦 Corey Perry Enters Triple Gold Club

perry-TGC
Just a year after Canada’s captain, Sidney Crosby, joined the Triple Gold Club at the 2015 World Championships, the 2016 captain became the 27th player and tenth Canadian to join the club, with Corey Perry adding to his Stanley Cup and two Olympic Gold Medals.
Continue reading

🇩🇪 🇯🇵 Germany Promoted, Japan Relegated For Women’s Worlds

germany-promoted
After losing consecutive tilts to Switzerland in the relegation round, Japan has been demoted to Division I Group A in 2017, while Germany, sweeping this year’s Group A in Aalborg, Denmark, will be promoted to the 2017 Women’s World Championship next April in Plymouth, Michigan, USA.
Continue reading

IHLC Preview – 2016 Women’s World Championship

2016-ihwwc-preview
The U.S. women’s national team looks to continue its torrid winning streak since Sochi, looking to capture another clean sheet at the 2016 World Championships in Kamloops, British Columbia, after cleaning house at both the 2015 Worlds and 2016 Four Nations Cup.
Continue reading

🇸🇰 Ľubomír Višňovský Retires Following Slovan Elimination

visnovsky-retires
Slovak mainstay defenceman Ľubomír Višňovský announced his retirement from HC Slovan following a 4-0 sweep at the hands of CSKA Moscow, wrapping up a 20+ year career in both Slovakia and the NHL.
Continue reading