It’s almost time for the annual IIHF World Championships, where the best hockey nations in the world will compete in a 16-day-long tournament in hopes of reaching gold. While the tournament (beginning May 10) does take place during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, that hasn’t stopped countries from loading up their rosters with proven NHL talent.
International Hockey
It’s been almost a decade since the NHL has had a best-on-best international tournament. In the meantime, the annual International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championships have mostly consisted of minor leaguers and collegiate/overseas players, making it largely underwhelming. With the upcoming 2025 Four Nations Face-Off and 2026 Olympics, this year’s edition of the World
On Tuesday afternoon, Hockey Canada announced that Columbus Blue Jackets director of player development Rick Nash has been named as their general manager for the upcoming IIHF World Championship in Czechia. The tournament will take place May 10 through 26, with Canada’s first game coming on May 11 against Great Britain. Nash a Fast-Rising Executive
On Monday (Feb. 12), the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) announced that they are upholding the ban on both Russia and Belarus through the 2024-25 season. Back in February of 2022, the IIHF voted to ban Russia and Belarus from international competitions after Russia invaded Ukraine. With the war still ongoing, they decided to uphold
When André Peloffy suited up for the expansion 1974-75 Washington Capitals, he became the first player born in France to play in the National Hockey League. Originally selected by the New York Rangers in the ninth round of the 1971 Draft, Peloffy never played for the “Blueshirts” and was traded to the Capitals prior to
Team Canada has won gold for the 28th time at the World Championships, defeating Germany 5-2. This was also Canada’s 53rd medal as they continue to be the most decorated nation in tournament history. Here is a look back at their path to gold. Canada’s Path To The Gold Medal Game While Team Canada won
Have you ever wondered if there are hockey leagues that rival the NHL in terms of talent, viewership, and fan-base? Well, if you have, then this segment should be just for you. It is widely known that players from around the world flock to the NHL for a chance to win Lord Stanley’s Cup and
The sound of blades grinding the ice of players skating at high speeds, blistering 100+ mph slap shots, beautiful end-to-end rushes with tape-to-tape passes, and sprawling kick saves by goaltenders are major components of the great game of bandy. Most people: “Wait what? You mean hockey.” No, I mean bandy. Bandy played at the Asian
With NHL players heading to the 2022 Winter Olympics, Team USA figures to be one of the best. Beijing presents a huge opportunity for USA Hockey and the NHL. Auston Matthews is primed to be Team USA’s top player at the next Olympic Games. (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers) The NHL clearly views China as an
For the past couple of weeks, the eyes of international hockey have been focused on Latvia for the annual International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship. Unlike the Olympics with NHL participation, this is not truly a best-on-best tournament. Most of the 16 participating teams had some stars not available because the NHL’s Stanley Cup Playoffs
by Anatoliy Metter Over the last few decades, individuals such as Vladislav Tretiak have shaped the game of hockey in unbelievable ways. It has often been noted that Tretiak never had a fair shot to compete in the NHL back in the 1980s, but the Russian netminder changed the face of the game for future
For the San Jose Sharks, the 2020-21 season has come to an end. Finishing seventh out of eight teams certainly fell below the expectations of the team; however, several Sharks players or prospects will be playing in the 2021 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championships beginning May 21st in Riga, Latvia. While there are
European NHL players have played a large part in the development of the National Hockey League over the last three decades – but try to imagine the NHL without all of its European talent. That’s exactly how it was during the league’s embryonic stages when six teams were made up almost entirely of Canadian talent,
It may be called the National Hockey League, but it sure feels more like it could be an international one. Of course, the now-defunct International Hockey League was in operation for decades, but as a North American farm league for NHL teams. Still, there’s nothing purely North American about the NHL, not any longer anyway,
Most North American hockey observers remember Viktor Tikhonov as a harsh taskmaster, who ruled over his players like a drill sergeant, barking out orders and letting them know who was in charge. Underneath that gruff exterior was a brilliant hockey mind who laid the groundwork for one of the prominent international hockey powerhouses that revolutionized
Russians comprise some of the most talented, most dominant players in the NHL today. In this decade alone, they have won Vezina Trophies, “Rocket” Richards, Hart Memorials, Art Ross Trophies and Conn Smythes, and of course, the Stanley Cup. If Russia has not put forth the largest amount of superstars in the current NHL, then
The Chinese Ice Hockey Association (CIHA) has a goal. They have been expanding in the hockey market for years now and they have set their targets. Behind the Kunlun Red Star hockey club and ahead of the 2022 Beijing Games, the CIHA has seen a rapid growth in the sport in recent years that shows
Since the fall of the Iron Curtain, the NHL has found player representation from many countries that were once part of the Soviet Union. 1994 saw the first Russian-born players win the Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers, and they have won Cups ever since. Additionally, Latvians, Lithuanians, and Belorussians have found names for