On Sunday, May 21, the International Hockey Federation published on its website hockey ranking of the world IIHF 2017 (IIHF World Ranking). This rating determines the position of national hockey teams among the member countries of the International Federation (IIHF). The rating calculation system used is extremely simple to understand and allows you to display the long-term quality of national programs regarding hockey, as well as the general orientation in world hockey.

In order to create a rating of world hockey teams, the results of the team’s performance at the last Olympics, as well as at the four world championships preceding it, are used. Thus, the champion of the Olympic Games or the world is awarded 1200 rating points. Between two neighboring positions in the ranking, the difference in points is exactly 20 points. Consequently, the team that took 12th place will receive 900 points, and 13th place - 880 points. However, there are exceptions to this rule: between the first and second, second and third, fourth and fifth, as well as eighth and ninth places, the difference will be as much as 40 points.

When calculating in the hockey rating, more weight is given to the last tournament held. So, if the last championship is taken as 100%, the penultimate one will receive 75% and so on. The Olympics or the World Cup have the same weight.

Rating of the best hockey teams of the world in 2017

For the third year now, the national team of the Russian Federation has taken 2nd place in the ranking of the best teams in the world, behind Canada. Further in the ranking are Sweden, Finland, USA. The Czechs came in sixth, followed by the Swiss, Germans, Norwegians and Belarusians. Now, as part of the group stage of the Olympics in 2018, the Russian team will have to meet with the strongest teams in the world, as well as the team that can win the qualification tournament. Recall that the Winter Olympic Games will be held from February 9 to 25, 2018 in the city of Pyeongchang, Korea.

It is worth noting that among the critics of this rating there are quite a lot of experts in the field of team assessment. The main reason for criticism is the complete disregard for the World Cup and the introduction of the overweight of each championship in comparison with the Olympic tournament. The fact is that during the World Cup, many high-class hockey players have to play the NHL playoffs. In turn, this does not apply to the World Cup and (it was introduced in 1998) the Olympics. The purpose of introducing this rating is to determine the seeding of teams at the next World Cup, as well as to select the teams that will be able to participate in the Winter Olympic Games without the need to participate in the qualification selection. For the first time, the rating of national hockey teams among the countries participating in the International Ice Hockey Federation was calculated in 2003. Then, the basis for the calculations was the results of the World Championships from 2000 to 2003 and the 2002 Olympics.

We hope that each of the numerous army of fans of this sport will be interested to know not only what position the Russian team has taken this time (fans already know about it), but also to learn about its closest competitors and the origin of the hockey teams rating.

Watch the video: IIHF World Rankings 2003 - 2019 (June 2025).