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Spengler Cup
2012 Spengler Cup logo.jpg
Spengler Cup logo
Sport Ice hockey
Founded 1923
Founder Dr. Carl Spengler
Inaugural season 1923
Organising body HC Davos
Motto The Peak of Hockey
No. of teams 6
Countries Switzerland, Canada, various other European countries
Venue(s) Eisstadion Davos (Davos, Switzerland)
Most recent
champion(s)		 Switzerland HC Davos (16th)
Most titles Switzerland HC Davos
Canada Team Canada
(16 each)
Qualification Invitation only
TV partner(s) SUI: Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen
Europe: Eurosport 2
RUS: Match TV & NTv2
GER: Sport1
CAN: TSN & RDS
USA: ESPN+
CZE / SVK / HUN: Sport1
DEN: TV2
SLO: Šport TV
SRB / CRO / BIH / MNE / MKD: Arena Sport
GBR: Viaplay

The Spengler Cup is an exciting ice hockey tournament. It happens every year in Davos, Switzerland. This tournament is super old, starting way back in 1923! It's known as the oldest ice hockey tournament where teams are invited to play. The Swiss team HC Davos hosts the event. All games are played at the Eisstadion Davos from December 26 to 31.

Dr. Carl Spengler first thought of the tournament. He wanted to bring together teams from German-speaking parts of Europe. This was important after World War I, when some countries felt left out. The tournament quickly became much bigger than anyone expected. Many famous clubs and national teams from Europe have played. These include strong teams from the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Sweden, Germany, and Finland. Teams from 13 different countries have won the tournament over the years. HC Davos and Team Canada have won the most cups, with 16 each. Swiss teams in total have won the most cups for one country, with 21 wins.

Teams from outside Europe have also joined the fun. These include Team Canada, Team USA, and even Team Japan. Japan played in 1971 to get ready for the 1972 Winter Olympics they were hosting. Since 1990, Team Canada has been the main team from North America. Only a couple of times have other North American teams, like the Rochester Americans from the AHL, played.

In the 2018 tournament, the Finnish team KalPa won. They beat Team Canada 2–1 in a thrilling final. The winner was decided in a long shootout, which was a first for the Spengler Cup!

The Spengler Cup was not played in 2020 or 2021. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the 2023 tournament, HC Davos won again. They beat the Czech team Dynamo Pardubice 5–3 in the final game.

The Spengler Cup's Journey Through Time

Spengler Cup
The former Spengler Cup trophy on display at the Hockey Hall of Fame, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Many teams that play in the Spengler Cup are club teams. This means they have players from different countries on their roster. The very first tournament in 1923 was won by the Oxford University Ice Hockey Club. This team was made up of Canadians who were studying at the University of Oxford.

For the first 24 tournaments, two teams were super strong. The host team, HC Davos, won 7 times. The Czechoslovak team LTC Prague also won 7 times. After 1948, the LTC Prague team was stopped by the government. This happened after some of their players left the country during the 1948 Spengler Cup tournament.

Between 1965 and 1983, teams from Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union were the best. Then, in 1984, Team Canada joined. They have been the strongest team since then, winning 16 times! Team Canada is usually made up of Canadian players who play hockey in Europe. This is because the tournament happens when the NHL season is already going on. However, famous NHL stars like Joe Thornton and Rick Nash played for HC Davos during the 2004–05 NHL lockout.

For a long time, until 1978, the tournament was played on an outdoor rink. This outdoor rink is still there today. It's one of the biggest outdoor rinks in the world! Since 1978, all the games have been played indoors.

The Spengler Cup was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was supposed to return in 2021. But Team Canada and another Swiss team, HC Ambrì-Piotta, had to pull out. This was due to COVID-19 issues. So, the 2021 event was canceled on December 25.

Who Helps Make the Tournament Happen?

The Spengler Cup is a very big sports event in Switzerland. It's the second largest, after a tennis tournament called the Swiss Indoors. In 2016, the tournament needed about 11 million Swiss francs to run. About 40% of this money comes from companies that sponsor the event.

Since 1985, UBS has been the main sponsor. Other big sponsors include Würth, Schenker Storen, Škoda, Calanda, and Hostpoint.ch. Each of these companies, along with UBS, sponsors one of the six teams each year.

Watching the Games Around the World

You can watch the Spengler Cup games in many places! In Switzerland, it's shown on Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen. Most of Europe can watch on Eurosport 2. In Canada, you can find it on TSN and RDS. People in the United Kingdom can stream it on Viaplay. Other countries like Russia, Germany, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, and parts of the Balkans also have channels that show the games.

Spengler Cup Champions: Who Won?

Year Winner Runner-up
1923 United Kingdom Oxford University Weimar Republic Berlin SC
1924 Weimar Republic Berlin SC Switzerland HC Davos
1925 United Kingdom Oxford University Switzerland HC Davos
1926 Weimar Republic Berlin SC Switzerland HC Davos
1927 Switzerland HC Davos Weimar Republic Berlin SC
1928 Weimar Republic Berlin SC United Kingdom Cambridge University
1929 Czechoslovakia LTC Prague Switzerland HC Davos
1930 Czechoslovakia LTC Prague Switzerland HC Davos
1931 United Kingdom Oxford University Weimar Republic Berlin SC
1932 Czechoslovakia LTC Prague
United Kingdom Oxford University1		 Switzerland HC Davos (3rd place)
1933 Switzerland HC Davos French Third Republic Paris Rapides
1934 Italy Diavoli Rossoneri Milano United Kingdom Oxford University
1935 Italy Diavoli Rossoneri Milano Switzerland HC Davos
1936 Switzerland HC Davos Czechoslovakia LTC Prague
1937 Czechoslovakia LTC Prague Switzerland HC Davos
1938 Switzerland HC Davos Czechoslovakia LTC Prague
1939 Tournament not held due to World War II
1940
1941 Switzerland HC Davos Nazi Germany Berlin SC
1942 Switzerland HC Davos Switzerland Zürcher SC
1943 Switzerland HC Davos Switzerland Zürcher SC
1944 Switzerland Zürcher SC Switzerland HC Davos
1945 Switzerland Zürcher SC Switzerland HC Davos
1946 Czechoslovakia LTC Prague Switzerland HC Davos
1947 Czechoslovakia LTC Prague Switzerland HC Davos
1948 Czechoslovakia LTC Prague Switzerland HC Davos
1949 Tournament not held due to high tensions
1950 Italy Diavoli Rossoneri Milano Sweden AIK Stockholm
1951 Switzerland HC Davos West Germany Preussen Krefeld
1952 West Germany EV Füssen Switzerland Zürcher SC
1953 Italy HC Milano Inter Switzerland HC Davos
1954 Italy HC Milano Inter West Germany EV Füssen
1955 Czechoslovakia Rudá Hvězda Brno Switzerland HC Davos
1956 Tournament not held for financial reasons
1957 Switzerland HC Davos Czechoslovakia Rudá Hvězda Brno
1958 Switzerland HC Davos Italy Diavoli Rossoneri Milano
1959 France ACBB Paris West Germany EV Füssen
1960 France ACBB Paris Switzerland HC Davos
1961 France ACBB Paris West Germany EV Füssen
1962 Czechoslovakia Sparta Prague West Germany EV Füssen
1963 Czechoslovakia Sparta Prague Austria Klagenfurt AC
1964 West Germany EV Füssen Sweden Modo Hockey
1965 Czechoslovakia Dukla Jihlava Sweden VIK Västerås HK
1966 Czechoslovakia Dukla Jihlava Belgium CP Liège
1967 Soviet Union Lokomotiv Moscow Canada Kingston Aces
1968 Czechoslovakia Dukla Jihlava Sweden Rögle BK
1969 Soviet Union Lokomotiv Moscow Switzerland HC Davos
1970 Soviet Union SKA Leningrad Czechoslovakia Dukla Jihlava
1971 Soviet Union SKA Leningrad Czechoslovakia Dukla Jihlava
1972 Czechoslovakia HC Slovan Bratislava Soviet Union Torpedo Gorkiy
1973 Czechoslovakia HC Slovan Bratislava Soviet Union Traktor Chelyabinsk
1974 Czechoslovakia HC Slovan Bratislava Polish People's Republic Team Poland
1975 Czechoslovakia Czechoslovak Olympic Team Finland Team Finland
1976 Soviet Union USSR B Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia B
1977 Soviet Union SKA Leningrad Czechoslovakia Dukla Jihlava
1978 Czechoslovakia Dukla Jihlava Sweden AIK Stockholm
1979 Soviet Union Krylya Sovetov Moscow West Germany Düsseldorfer EG
1980 Soviet Union Spartak Moscow Czechoslovakia TJ Vítkovice
1981 Soviet Union Spartak Moscow Switzerland HC Davos
1982 Czechoslovakia Dukla Jihlava Soviet Union Spartak Moscow
1983 Soviet Union Dynamo Moscow Czechoslovakia Dukla Jihlava
1984 Canada Team Canada Czechoslovakia Dukla Jihlava
1985 Soviet Union Spartak Moscow Canada Team Canada
1986 Canada Team Canada Soviet Union Sokil Kiev
1987 Canada Team Canada Soviet Union Krylya Sovetov Moscow
1988 United States USA Selects Canada Team Canada
1989 Soviet Union Spartak Moscow Sweden Färjestad BK
1990 Soviet Union Spartak Moscow Canada Team Canada
1991 Soviet Union / Russia CSKA Moscow Switzerland HC Lugano
1992 Canada Team Canada Sweden Färjestad BK
1993 Sweden Färjestad BK Switzerland HC Davos
1994 Sweden Färjestad BK Switzerland HC Davos
1995 Canada Team Canada Russia Lada Togliatti
1996 Canada Team Canada Switzerland HC Davos
1997 Canada Team Canada Sweden Färjestad BK
1998 Canada Team Canada Switzerland HC Davos
1999 Germany Kölner Haie Russia Metallurg Magnitogorsk
2000 Switzerland HC Davos Canada Team Canada
2001 Switzerland HC Davos Canada Team Canada
2002 Canada Team Canada Switzerland HC Davos
2003 Canada Team Canada Switzerland HC Davos
2004 Switzerland HC Davos Czech Republic Sparta Prague
2005 Russia Metallurg Magnitogorsk Canada Team Canada
2006 Switzerland HC Davos Canada Team Canada
2007 Canada Team Canada Russia Salavat Yulaev Ufa
2008 Russia Dynamo Moscow Canada Team Canada
2009 Belarus Dinamo Minsk Switzerland HC Davos
2010 Russia SKA Saint Petersburg Canada Team Canada
2011 Switzerland HC Davos Latvia Dinamo Riga
2012 Canada Team Canada Switzerland HC Davos
2013 Switzerland Genève-Servette HC Russia CSKA Moscow
2014 Switzerland Genève-Servette HC Russia Salavat Yulaev Ufa
2015 Canada Team Canada Switzerland HC Lugano
2016 Canada Team Canada Switzerland HC Lugano
2017 Canada Team Canada Switzerland Team Switzerland
2018 Finland KalPa Kuopio Canada Team Canada
2019 Canada Team Canada Czech Republic HC Oceláři Třinec
2020 Tournament not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2021
2022 Switzerland HC Ambrì-Piotta Czech Republic Sparta Prague
2023 Switzerland HC Davos Czech Republic Dynamo Pardubice

Notes

1 Oxford University and LTC Prague played to a 0–0 tie after overtime. Both teams were declared winners.

Top Teams: Who Has Won the Most?

Club Performance

Performance in the Spengler Cup by club
Club Won Runner-up Years won Years runner-up
Switzerland HC Davos 16 25 1927, 1933, 1936, 1938, 1941, 1942, 1943, 1951, 1957, 1958, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2011, 2023 1924, 1925, 1926, 1929, 1930, 1935, 1937, 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1953, 1955, 1960, 1969, 1981, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2012
Canada Team Canada 16 10 1984, 1986, 1987, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2007, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 1985, 1988, 1990, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2018
Czech Republic LTC Prague 7 2 1929, 1930, 1932, 1937, 1946, 1947, 1948 1936, 1938
Czech Republic Dukla Jihlava 5 5 1965, 1966, 1968, 1978, 1982 1970, 1971, 1977, 1983, 1984
Russia Spartak Moscow 5 1 1980, 1981, 1985, 1989, 1990 1982
United Kingdom Oxford University 4 1 1923, 1925, 1931, 1932 1934
Russia SKA Leningrad /
SKA Saint Petersburg		 4 0 1970, 1971, 1977, 2010 –
Germany Berlin SC 3 4 1924, 1926, 1928 1923, 1927, 1931, 1941
Italy Diavoli Rossoneri Milano 3 1 1934, 1935, 1950 1958
France ACBB Paris 3 0 1959, 1960, 1961 –
Slovakia HC Slovan Bratislava1 3 0 1972, 1973, 1974 –
Germany EV Füssen 2 4 1952, 1964 1954, 1959, 1961, 1962
Switzerland Zürcher SC 2 3 1944, 1945 1942, 1943, 1952
Sweden Färjestad BK 2 3 1993, 1994 1989, 1992, 1997
Czech Republic Sparta Prague 2 2 1962, 1963 2004, 2022
Italy HC Milano Inter 2 0 1953, 1954 –
Russia Lokomotiv Moscow 2 0 1967, 1969 –
Russia Dynamo Moscow 2 0 1983, 2008 –
Switzerland Genève-Servette HC 2 0 2013, 2014 –
Czech Republic Rudá Hvězda Brno 1 1 1955 1957
Russia Krylya Sovetov Moscow 1 1 1979 1987
Russia CSKA Moscow 1 1 1991 2013
Russia Metallurg Magnitogorsk 1 1 2005 1999
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovak Olympic Team 1 0 1975 –
Soviet Union USSR B 1 0 1976 –
United States USA Selects 1 0 1988 –
Germany Kölner Haie 1 0 1999 –
Belarus Dinamo Minsk 1 0 2009 –
Finland KalPa Kuopio 1 0 2018
Switzerland HC Ambrì-Piotta 1 0 2022 –
Switzerland HC Lugano 0 3 – 1991, 2015, 2016
Sweden AIK Stockholm 0 2 – 1950, 1978
Russia Salavat Yulaev Ufa 0 2 – 2007, 2014
United Kingdom Cambridge University 0 1 – 1928
France Paris Rapides 0 1 – 1933
Germany Preussen Krefeld 0 1 – 1951
Austria Klagenfurt AC 0 1 – 1963
Sweden Modo Hockey 0 1 – 1964
Sweden VIK Västerås HK 0 1 – 1965
Belgium CP Liège 0 1 – 1966
Canada Kingston Aces 0 1 – 1967
Sweden Rögle BK 0 1 – 1968
Russia Torpedo Gorkiy 0 1 – 1972
Russia Traktor Chelyabinsk 0 1 – 1973
Polish People's Republic Team Poland 0 1 – 1974
Finland Team Finland 0 1 – 1975
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia B 0 1 – 1976
Germany Düsseldorfer EG 0 1 – 1979
Czech Republic TJ Vítkovice 0 1 – 1980
Ukraine Sokil Kiev2 0 1 – 1986
Russia Lada Togliatti 0 1 – 1995
Latvia Dinamo Riga 0 1 – 2011
Switzerland Team Switzerland 0 1 – 2017
Czech Republic HC Oceláři Třinec 0 1 – 2019
Czech Republic Dynamo Pardubice 0 1 – 2023

Notes

1 Slovakia was a part of Czechoslovakia until 1993. So, HC Slovan Bratislava in the 1970s represented both communist Czechoslovakia and the Slovak Socialist Republic.
2 Ukraine was a Soviet republic at the time. So, Sokil Kiev represented both the Soviet Union and Soviet Ukraine.

Nation Performance

Performance by nation
Nation Winners Runners-up
 Switzerland 21 32
 Czechoslovakia1 19 10
 Canada2 16 11
 Soviet Union3 13 5
 Germany4 6 10
 Italy5 5 1
 Russia6 4 5
 United Kingdom 4 2
 France7 3 1
 Sweden 2 8
 Finland 1 1
 Belarus 1 0
 United States 1 0
 Czech Republic 0 4
 Austria 0 1
 Belgium 0 1
 Latvia 0 1
 Poland 0 1

Notes

1 This includes hockey clubs from the former Czechoslovakia, including teams from today's Czechia and Slovakia, and Czechoslovak national teams.
2 This includes the runner-up 1967 Kingston Aces from the Ontario Hockey Association.
3 This includes hockey clubs from today's Russia and Ukraine, and Soviet national teams.
4 This includes hockey clubs from different periods of German history, like the Weimar Republic, Nazi Germany, West Germany, and today's united Germany.
5 This includes hockey clubs from the Kingdom of Italy and today's Italian Republic.
6 This includes CSKA Moscow's Cup win in 1991.
7 This includes hockey clubs from different periods of French history, like the French Third Republic, Fourth Republic, and today's Fifth Republic.
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