One of many prime sports activities on this planet is ice hockey. Performed by folks throughout the globe, new generations of gamers are being launched to this sensible sport. With followers from virtually in every single place tuning in to look at video games.
In the event you’re new to ice hockey or simply desire a refresher, it’s vital to know what a few of the prime ice hockey competitions are. Learn on to seek out out extra.
Winter Olympics
Ice hockey has performed a major position as a sport within the Olympics over the previous century. Ice hockey was launched as a part of the 1920 Summer time Olympics in Antwerp, the place Canada received the gold medal with the USA taking silver and Czechoslovakia within the bronze place.
4 years later, ice hockey moved to the winter video games, with Canada successful the primary 4 Winter Olympic video games and shedding their first ice hockey match in 1936. The Canadians have dominated ice hockey on the Winter Olympics through the years, having received 22 medals together with 13 gold – making them essentially the most profitable on the sport.
Different nations which have seen success on the Olympic video games embrace Finland, the USA, Russia, Sweden and Slovakia. The following Winter Olympics is because of be held in Beijing China in February of 2026, there’s a number of time for brand new followers to construct their ice hockey information and get excited within the lead up.
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup shouldn’t be truly a contest however the trophy that’s awarded yearly to the Nationwide Hockey League playoff champion. The oldest trophy that may be received by skilled athletes throughout North America, the Stanley Cup was first awarded in the course of the 1892-1893 season. The staff that’s received the Stanley Cup essentially the most occasions is the Montreal Canadiens, who’ve been awarded the trophy 24 occasions.
The Stanley Cup is especially distinctive as all of the gamers within the successful staff have their names inscribed on the trophy. This has meant that through the years that ‘bands’ on the cup have to get replaced as increasingly more names take up house. One other fascinating facet to the Stanley Cup is that every participant will get 24 hours with the cup in the course of the yr that they maintain possession of it. This has meant that the trophy has many a narrative related to it, having attended occasions like pool events and child christenings, and having had beer dranken out of it. After all, whereas gamers have possession of the cup in a 24 hour interval it’s protected by escorts.
The following Stanley Cup will likely be hosted in the course of the month of June, with the playoffs kicking off from June eighth. Yearly, simply 16 groups qualify for the Stanley Cup playoffs, with many followers having fun with the video games and a few even testing the Stanley Cup odds. Final yr’s Stanley Cup winners had been Colorado Avalanche who beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in a 2-1 win.
Ice Hockey World Championships
One other one of many prime ice hockey tournaments any fan must find out about are the Ice Hockey World Championships. Organized and run by the Worldwide Ice Hockey federation, it was first held as a person occasion exterior of the Olympics in 1930. As with the Olympics, Canada started because the world’s most dominant staff having received the match 12 separate occasions from 1930 to 1952.
The Ice Hockey World Championships usually takes place throughout a few of the later phases of the Stanley Cup, which signifies that many gamers are unable to play for his or her nation’s groups as their NHL profession usually takes priority over it. The staff with the highest rating within the IIHF presently is Finland, who’ve been a member since 1928.
World Cup of Hockey
One of many ultimate ice hockey tournaments that has change into well-known through the years is the World Cup of Hockey. Organized by the Nationwide Hockey League and Nationwide Hockey League Gamers’ Affiliation, it’s the successor to the Canada Cup and has been held 3 times on an irregular foundation, with the 2020 version having been deserted.
The league nevertheless has determined that one other version will likely be held in 2025, which signifies that followers have one other match to stay up for within the subsequent few years. Canada has received the title twice, with the US having received the title as soon as.
