Olympic Games Hockey - strongest national team competition
The Olympic Games Hockey is the pinnacle of professional association ice hockey tournaments on a global scale, featuring national teams from around the world. Formed in 1920, the Olympic Hockey Games was created as part of the Olympics to showcase the best national hockey teams globally. The Olympic Games Hockey ranks among the top in the world's hockey leagues. The Olympic Hockey League teams compete in a round-robin format during the preliminary round, playing three games each, once against each other within their respective groups. The total number of matches in the preliminary round is 54, with an additional 7 matches in the playoffs, summing up to 61 matches for the entire tournament. Points are awarded for a win, with ties decided by overtime and shootouts, and a unique point system is applied. If teams are level on points, the tie-breakers are the number of wins, then the goal difference, followed by several other factors.
Top teams
As of 2023, Canada had won the Olympic Games Hockey more than any other country, with 9 titles in total. The country most recently won the competition in 2014, defeating Sweden in the final.
The others are Russia, the United States, Great Britain, and Sweden, making them part of an elite group of countries with multiple Olympic hockey titles.
Schedule for the coming season
The next Olympic Games Hockey tournament will take place in 2026, as the Winter Olympics are held every four years. The teams that will participate are yet to be determined but will include the top hockey nations worldwide.
How to get to Olympic Games Hockey
Qualification for the Olympic Games Hockey is determined through a series of international competitions and rankings, with the top-ranked nations earning a spot in the tournament. The process begins with nations competing in various international tournaments, including the IIHF World Championships. Performance in these competitions influences the IIHF World Rankings, which play a pivotal role in Olympic qualification.
Best players of the tournament
The Olympic Games Hockey all-time top scorer is Teemu Selanne from Finland with 43 points. He also holds the record for the most points scored in a single Olympic tournament, with 7 goals in the 1998 campaign, and is the only player ever to win the league's top scorer award in four different Olympic tournaments. The overall prize pool for the tournament is significant, with the winner set to receive a prestigious gold medal and international recognition for their achievement.