Ice hockey at the Olympic Games facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Ice hockey at the Olympic Games

Governing body	IIHF
Events	2 (men: 1; women: 1)
Games
1920 (at the Summer Olympics) 1924 1928 1932 1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018
Medalists

Ice hockey has been a part of the Olympic Games since 1920. The men's tournament first appeared at the 1920 Summer Olympics. It then moved permanently to the Winter Olympic Games in 1924. Women's ice hockey joined the Olympics much later, at the 1998 Winter Olympics.

Originally, the Olympics were only for amateur athletes. This meant players couldn't be paid for their sport. However, some countries, especially from Eastern Europe, had "full-time amateur athletes." These athletes were paid by their governments to train all the time, which gave them an advantage over unpaid athletes from Western countries. In 1986, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to let professional athletes compete. The National Hockey League (NHL) in North America was slow to agree because the Olympics happen in the middle of their season. But eventually, NHL players were allowed to join starting in 1998.

From 1924 to 1988, the tournament usually started with a round-robin (where every team plays each other). Medals were given based on points from these games. In 1992, they brought back playoffs, like in 1920. In 1998, the format changed again to fit the NHL schedule. The top six teams and NHL players joined later in the tournament. By 2006, all teams played five preliminary games with NHL players from the start.

The games follow the rules of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), which are a bit different from the NHL rules. In the men's tournament, Canada was super strong in the early years, winning six out of seven gold medals from 1924 to 1952. Other strong teams included Czechoslovakia, Sweden, and the United States. Until 1968, the Olympic hockey tournament was also counted as the Ice Hockey World Championship. The Soviet Union joined in 1956 and became the new dominant team, winning seven of nine tournaments. The United States famously won gold in 1960 and in 1980, with their "Miracle on Ice" win against the Soviet Union. Canada finally won gold again in 2002, after 50 years, and then won back-to-back in 2010 and 2014. Other countries that have won gold include Great Britain (1936), the Unified Team (1992), Sweden (1994, 2006), the Czech Republic (1998), Russia (2018), and Finland (2022).

In 1992, the IOC decided to add women's hockey to the Olympics. It debuted at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. The local organizers were worried about the extra costs, but they agreed to a six-team tournament without building new facilities. The Canadian teams have been very successful. The United States won the first tournament in 1998 and again in 2018. Canada has won all the other women's tournaments from 2002 to 2014, and in 2022.

How Ice Hockey Became an Olympic Sport

Representing Canada, the Winnipeg Falcons (pictured en route to the 1920 Summer Olympics) were the first Olympic champions in ice hockey.

The very first Olympic ice hockey tournament happened at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. At that time, international ice hockey was quite new. The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), which is the main group that runs the sport, was formed in 1908.

In 1914, ice hockey was added to a list of sports that Olympic hosts could choose to include. The decision to have ice hockey at the 1920 Summer Olympics was made just three months before the Games began. Five European countries wanted to play, and the stadium in Antwerp insisted on having ice hockey if figure skating was going to use their ice. The IIHF considers the 1920 tournament to be the first Ice Hockey World Championship. For many years, until 1968, the Olympic tournament was also counted as the World Championship. Back then, only amateur athletes were allowed, so players from professional leagues like the National Hockey League (NHL) could not play.

The first Winter Olympic Games were held in 1924 in Chamonix, France. Ice hockey and figure skating became permanent parts of the Winter Olympics. The Winter Games were held in the same year as the Summer Games until 1992. After that, they started happening every four years, but two years after the Summer Games (like in 1994, 1998, etc.).

Tournament History

Event	20	24	28	32	36	48	52	56	60	64	68	72	76	80	84	88	92	94	98	02	06	10	14	18	22	Years
Men's tournament	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	•	25
Women's tournament																			•	•	•	•	•	•	•	7

Total events	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	32

Men's Tournament Highlights

1920 Summer Olympics

The poster of the 1920 Summer Olympics.

The first men's tournament in 1920 used a special system called the Bergvall System. It had three rounds to decide the gold, silver, and bronze medals. Seven teams played, including Canada, the United States, and Sweden. Canada sent the Winnipeg Falcons, who were very strong. Sweden's team was mostly bandy players who had just started playing hockey.

Canada won all their games in the first round, beating Sweden in the final to take the gold medal. They outscored their opponents 27–1! The United States won silver, and Czechoslovakia won bronze. The Bergvall System was not used again for ice hockey because it was a bit confusing. For example, Sweden played six games, but Czechoslovakia won bronze with only three games.

Early Years (1924–1936)

In 1924, the tournament switched to a round-robin format, which was used until 1988. Canada's team, the Toronto Granites, was incredibly dominant, outscoring opponents 110–3. Harry Watson scored 36 goals, which is still an Olympic record! The United States won silver, and Great Britain won bronze.

A game between Canada and Sweden during the 1928 Winter Olympics.

At the 1928 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland, Canada got a direct pass to the medal round and won all their games, outscoring opponents 38–0. Sweden and Switzerland won their first medals (silver and bronze). In 1932, Canada won gold again in a smaller tournament. Germany won its first hockey medal, a bronze.

The bronze medal-winning 1936 American Olympic team.

Before the 1936 Winter Olympics, Canada complained that two British players had played professionally in Canada. To avoid problems, Canada dropped the protest. Great Britain then became the first non-Canadian team to win gold, with Canada taking silver and the United States bronze.

The Amateur Debate and Soviet Dominance (1948–1976)

The rules about "amateur" players caused many arguments. The Soviet Union started sending teams of players who were officially amateurs but were actually paid by the state to train full-time. This put Western countries, whose players paid for themselves, at a disadvantage.

In 1948, there was a big debate about which US team could play. In the end, one team was allowed, but their games didn't count for the official Olympic standings. Canada won gold again, but Czechoslovakia was getting much better.

Vladislav Tretiak of the USSR is the only male athlete to have won three gold medals and one silver in ice hockey.

The Soviet Union first played in the World Championships in 1954 and won! At the 1956 Winter Olympics, the Soviet team won its first gold medal without losing a game. Canada won bronze. In 1960, the American team surprised everyone by winning all seven of their games and taking their first Olympic gold medal. Canada won silver, and the Soviet Union won bronze.

The Soviet Union continued to dominate, winning gold in 1964 and 1968. In 1970, Canada pulled out of international hockey because they felt it was unfair that the Soviets used full-time "amateurs." Canada did not play in the 1972 and 1976 Olympics. The Soviet team, led by amazing players like Vladislav Tretiak, won gold in both those Games.

"Miracle on Ice" (1980)

The 1980 gold medal-winning American team had the honour of lighting the Olympic cauldron at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

The 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, USA, saw a famous moment. The Soviet Union was expected to win gold easily, as they had a team of experienced full-time players. The United States team, however, was made up of young college players.

In a stunning upset, the US team beat the mighty Soviets 4–3 in the medal round. This game is known as the "Miracle on Ice." The US then went on to win the gold medal by beating Finland. The Soviet Union took silver. This victory is one of the most famous moments in sports history.

Modern Era (1984–2022)

The Soviet Union won gold again in 1984 and 1988. In 1988, Finland surprised everyone by winning silver, their first medal ever. After 1988, the IIHF changed the tournament format to include playoffs.

Finnish centre Raimo Helminen, a six-time Olympian, won a silver in 1988 and bronze medals in 1994 and 1998.

In 1992, after the Soviet Union broke up, several former Soviet states played as the Unified Team. They won gold, beating Canada in the final. In 1994, Sweden won its first gold medal in a thrilling shootout against Canada. Peter Forsberg scored a very famous goal in that shootout.

The 1998 gold medal game between Russia and the Czech Republic was the first played between teams consisting mainly of NHL players.

In 1995, a big agreement was made: NHL players could finally play in the Olympics! This started at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan. The Czech Republic, led by goalie Dominik Hašek, surprised many by winning gold, beating Russia. Canada, a favorite, finished fourth.

With 43 points, Teemu Selänne of Finland is the all-time leading scorer in the men's tournament.

At the 2002 Winter Olympics, Canada won its first gold medal in 50 years, beating the United States in the final. In 2006, Sweden won gold, beating Finland. They also won the World Championships that year, becoming the first team to win both in the same year.

Members of the Canadian team celebrate moments after Sidney Crosby's gold medal-winning overtime goal at the 2010 Winter Olympics.

The 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada, were exciting. Finland's Teemu Selänne broke the record for most points in the men's tournament. In the gold medal game, Canada beat the United States 3–2 in overtime, with Sidney Crosby scoring the winning goal.

In 2014 in Sochi, Russia, Canada won gold again, beating Sweden 3–0. They didn't trail at any point in the tournament! Teemu Selänne, at 43, became the oldest Olympic goal-scorer and medal winner.

For the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, NHL players did not participate. Russia, playing as "Olympic Athletes from Russia" due to a doping scandal, won gold, beating Germany in overtime. Canada won bronze. In 2022, NHL players again did not participate. Finland won their first-ever men's ice hockey gold medal, and Slovakia won their first bronze medal.

Women's Tournament Highlights

Adding Women's Hockey (1998)

Canadian Hayley Wickenheiser is the all-time leading scorer in the women's tournament and was named tournament MVP twice.

In 1992, the IOC decided to add women's hockey to the Olympics, starting in 1998. The host city, Nagano, was worried about the extra costs. But they agreed to a six-team tournament without building new facilities. Canada even helped train the Japanese team.

Early Dominance (1998–2006)

Before 1998, Canada had won every World Championship. But by 1997, the American team was just as strong. In the first Olympic tournament in 1998, the United States beat Canada 3–1 in the final to win the first gold medal. Finland won bronze.

A women's preliminary round game between Sweden and the United States in 2002.

For the 2002 Winter Olympics, eight teams competed. Canada and the United States met again in the final, with Canada winning 3–2. Sweden won its first women's hockey medal, a bronze. In 2006, Sweden surprised the US in the semi-finals, winning in a shootout. Canada then beat Sweden 4–1 for their second gold, and the US won bronze.

Recent Years (2010–2022)

In 2010, Canada won its third straight gold medal, beating the United States 2–0. Finland won bronze.

The Swiss team celebrates shortly after winning the bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics. It was the first medal for the country in women's hockey.

At the 2014 Winter Olympics, Canada made an amazing comeback against the United States, winning 3–2 in overtime for their fourth consecutive gold. Canadian players Hayley Wickenheiser, Jayna Hefford, and Caroline Ouellette became the first athletes to win four ice hockey gold medals. Switzerland won their first women's medal, a bronze.

In 2018, the United States defeated Canada in a shootout to win gold, their first in 20 years. Canada's winning streak of four golds ended. In 2022, Canada won their fifth gold medal, beating the United States 3–2 in the final. Finland won bronze.

Game Rules

Player Eligibility

To play in international tournaments, a player must be under the rules of an IIHF member country and be a citizen of the country they play for. If a player changes their citizenship, they usually need to play in their new country for at least two years before playing internationally again. They can only change national teams once.

Professional Players

Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the IOC.

The idea of amateur athletes changed over time. Countries like the Soviet Union had athletes who were paid by the state to train full-time, which was different from unpaid amateurs in other countries. The IOC kept strict amateur rules until 1988.

A set of silver, gold and bronze medals from the 1998 Winter Olympics on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In the late 1960s, Canada wanted to use professional players against the strong Soviet teams. The IIHF first agreed, but then changed its mind because the IOC threatened to remove hockey from the Olympics. Canada then stopped playing in international competitions for a while. In 1976, the IIHF allowed "open competition" for the World Championships, meaning professionals could play. But NHL players still couldn't play in the Olympics because the NHL didn't want to stop its season.

NHL players Saku Koivu of Finland and Pavel Datsyuk of Russia face off in a semi-final game at the 2006 Winter Olympics.

In 1995, a deal was finally made between the IOC, IIHF, NHL, and the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA) to allow NHL players to participate in the Olympics, starting in 1998. This was a big step to make hockey more popular worldwide. The NHL usually takes a break in its season for the Olympics. Some team owners worry about players getting injured or tired during the Games.

AlexanderOvechkin2010WinterOlympicslineup

Prior to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia, a number of Russian NHL players, including Alexander Ovechkin, stated that they would play in the tournament with or without the NHL's approval.

NHL players really want to play in the Olympics. However, the NHL decided not to send its players to the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics. This was partly because the IOC stopped paying for their travel and insurance. Many players were upset about this decision.

Hockey Rules

At the first tournament in 1920, games were played outdoors with seven players per side (including a "rover") and no forward passes. After that, the IIHF adopted Canadian rules: six players per side and three periods.

In 2010, games were played on an NHL-sized rink surface for the first time (size comparison pictured).

Olympic tournaments follow IIHF rules. Players started wearing helmets in 1970 and goalie masks became mandatory in 1972. In 1992, playoffs were introduced, and tie games in the medal round were decided by a shootout.

There are some differences between NHL and IIHF rules. For example, international rinks are wider than NHL rinks, which allows for a faster and less physical game. Also, the rules for icing (when a player shoots the puck all the way down the ice) are different. The IIHF also has different rules for penalties, especially for fighting.

Each team can have between 15 and 20 skaters (forwards and defensemen) and two or three goalies. All players must be citizens of the country they represent.

Results

Men

Summary

#	Year	Hosts	Gold medal game			Bronze medal game
#	Year	Hosts	Gold	Score	Silver	Bronze	Score	Fourth place
1	1920 Details	Antwerp	Canada	2–0	United States	Czechoslovakia	1–0	Sweden
2	1924 Details	Chamonix	Canada	round-robin	United States	Great Britain	round-robin	Sweden
3	1928 Details	St. Moritz	Canada	round-robin	Sweden	Switzerland	round-robin	Great Britain
4	1932 Details	Lake Placid	Canada	round-robin	United States	Germany	round-robin	Poland
5	1936 Details	Garmisch-Partenkirchen	Great Britain	round-robin	Canada	United States	round-robin	Czechoslovakia
6	1948 Details	St. Moritz	Canada	round-robin	Czechoslovakia	Switzerland	round-robin	Sweden
7	1952 Details	Oslo	Canada	round-robin	United States	Sweden	round-robin	Czechoslovakia
8	1956 Details	Cortina d'Ampezzo	Soviet Union	round-robin	United States	Canada	round-robin	Sweden
9	1960 Details	Squaw Valley	United States	round-robin	Canada	Soviet Union	round-robin	Czechoslovakia
10	1964 Details	Innsbruck	Soviet Union	round-robin	Sweden	Czechoslovakia	round-robin	Canada
11	1968 Details	Grenoble	Soviet Union	round-robin	Czechoslovakia	Canada	round-robin	Sweden
12	1972 Details	Sapporo	Soviet Union	round-robin	United States	Czechoslovakia	round-robin	Sweden
13	1976 Details	Innsbruck	Soviet Union	round-robin	Czechoslovakia	West Germany	round-robin	Finland
14	1980 Details	Lake Placid	United States	round-robin	Soviet Union	Sweden	round-robin	Finland
15	1984 Details	Sarajevo	Soviet Union	round-robin	Czechoslovakia	Sweden	round-robin	Canada
16	1988 Details	Calgary	Soviet Union	round-robin	Finland	Sweden	round-robin	Canada
17	1992 Details	Albertville	Unified Team	3–1	Canada	Czechoslovakia	6–1	United States
18	1994 Details	Lillehammer	Sweden	3–2 SO	Canada	Finland	4–0	Russia
19	1998 Details	Nagano	Czech Republic	1–0	Russia	Finland	3–2	Canada
20	2002 Details	Salt Lake City	Canada	5–2	United States	Russia	7–2	Belarus
21	2006 Details	Torino	Sweden	3–2	Finland	Czech Republic	3–0	Russia
22	2010 Details	Vancouver	Canada	3–2 OT	United States	Finland	5–3	Slovakia
23	2014 Details	Sochi	Canada	3–0	Sweden	Finland	5–0	United States
24	2018 Details	Pyeongchang	Olympic Athletes from Russia	4–3 OT	Germany	Canada	6–4	Czech Republic
25	2022 Details	Beijing	Finland	2–1	ROC	Slovakia	4–0	Sweden

Men's Medal Table

Accurate as of the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Canada (CAN)	9	4	3	16
2	Soviet Union (URS)	7	1	1	9
3	United States (USA)	2	8	1	11
4	Sweden (SWE)	2	3	4	9
5	Finland (FIN)	1	2	4	7
6	Czech Republic (CZE)	1	0	1	2
6	Great Britain (GBR)	1	0	1	2
8	Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR)	1	0	0	1
8	Unified Team (EUN)	1	0	0	1
10	Czechoslovakia (TCH)	0	4	4	8
11	Germany (GER)	0	1	1	2
11	Russia (RUS)	0	1	1	2
13	Republic of China (ROC)	0	1	0	1
14	Switzerland (SUI)	0	0	2	2
15	Slovakia (SVK)	0	0	1	1
15	West Germany (FRG)	0	0	1	1
Totals (16 entries)		25	25	25	75

Alternate Men's Medal Table

The IIHF counts medals for countries that changed names or split (like Czechoslovakia to Czech Republic).

Women

Summary

#	Year	Hosts	Gold medal game			Bronze medal game
#	Year	Hosts	Gold	Score	Silver	Bronze	Score	Fourth place
1	1998 Details	Nagano	United States	3–1	Canada	Finland	4–1	China
2	2002 Details	Salt Lake City	Canada	3–2	United States	Sweden	2–1	Finland
3	2006 Details	Torino	Canada	4–1	Sweden	United States	4–0	Finland
4	2010 Details	Vancouver	Canada	2–0	United States	Finland	3–2 OT	Sweden
5	2014 Details	Sochi	Canada	3–2 OT	United States	Switzerland	4–3	Sweden
6	2018 Details	Pyeongchang	United States	3–2 SO	Canada	Finland	3–2	Olympic Athletes from Russia
7	2022 Details	Canada	3–2	United States	Finland	4–0	Switzerland

Women's Medal Table

The medal ceremony for the women's tournament at the 2010 Winter Olympics, left to right: the United States (silver), Canada (gold) and Finland (bronze).

Accurate as of the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Canada (CAN)	5	2	0	7
2	United States (USA)	2	4	1	7
3	Sweden (SWE)	0	1	1	2
4	Finland (FIN)	0	0	4	4
5	Switzerland (SUI)	0	0	1	1
Totals (5 entries)	7	7	7	21

Overall Medal Table

Accurate as of the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1	Canada (CAN)	14	6	3	23
2	Soviet Union (URS)	7	1	1	9
3	United States (USA)	4	12	2	18
4	Sweden (SWE)	2	4	5	11
5	Finland (FIN)	1	2	8	11
6	Czech Republic (CZE)	1	0	1	2
6	Great Britain (GBR)	1	0	1	2
8	Olympic Athletes from Russia (OAR)	1	0	0	1
8	Unified Team (EUN)	1	0	0	1
10	Czechoslovakia (TCH)	0	4	4	8
11	Germany (GER)	0	1	1	2
11	Russia (RUS)	0	1	1	2
13	Republic of China (ROC)	0	1	0	1
14	Switzerland (SUI)	0	0	3	3
15	Slovakia (SVK)	0	0	1	1
15	West Germany (FRG)	0	0	1	1
Totals (16 entries)		32	32	32	96

Alternate Overall Medal Table

The IIHF combines the records of predecessor and successor nations for this table.

Images for kids

The poster of the 1920 Summer Olympics
A game between Canada and Sweden during the 1928 Winter Olympics
The bronze medal-winning 1936 American Olympic team.
Vladislav Tretiak of the USSR is the only male athlete to have won three gold medals and one silver in ice hockey.
The 1980 gold medal-winning American team had the honour of lighting the Olympic cauldron at the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Finnish centre Raimo Helminen, a six-time Olympian, won a silver in 1988 and bronze medals in 1994 and 1998.
The 1998 gold medal game between Russia and the Czech Republic was the first played between teams consisting mainly of NHL players.
With 43 points, Teemu Selänne of Finland is the all-time leading scorer in the men's tournament.
Members of the Canadian team celebrate moments after Sidney Crosby's gold medal-winning overtime goal at the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Canadian Hayley Wickenheiser is the all-time leading scorer in the women's tournament and was named tournament MVP twice.
A women's preliminary round game between Sweden and the United States in 2002.
The Swiss team celebrates shortly after winning the bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics. It was the first medal for the country in women's hockey.
Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the IOC.
A set of silver, gold and bronze medals from the 1998 Winter Olympics on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame.
NHL players Saku Koivu of Finland and Pavel Datsyuk of Russia face off in a semi-final game at the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Prior to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia, a number of Russian NHL players, including Alexander Ovechkin, stated that they would play in the tournament with or without the NHL's approval.
In 2010, games were played on an NHL-sized rink surface for the first time (size comparison pictured).
The medal ceremony for the women's tournament at the 2010 Winter Olympics, left to right: the United States (silver), Canada (gold) and Finland (bronze).