From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Following the exciting 1972 Summit Series between Canada and the Soviet Union, interest in a world professional ice hockey championship increased substantially. The Canada Cup would bring together the top hockey-playing countries in the world.
It was held in 1976, 1981, 1984, 1987 and 1991. It featured competition between national teams of Canada, Czechoslovakia, Finland, , the Soviet Union, Sweden, and the United States. All the tournaments were won by Canada except the 1981 tournament, which was won by the Soviet Union. The 1987 event is referred to as one of the most spectacular in hockey history.
There have been only 8 world professional hockey championships in history:
| Year | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Tournament |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972* | Canada | USSR | Summit Series | |
| 1976 | Canada | Czechoslovakia | USSR | Canada Cup |
| 1981 | USSR | Canada | Czechoslovakia | Canada Cup |
| 1984 | Canada | Sweden | USSR | Canada Cup |
| 1987 | Canada | USSR | Sweden | Canada Cup |
| 1991 | Canada | USA | Finland | Canada Cup |
| 1996** | USA | Canada | Russia | World Cup |
| 2002*** | Canada | USA | Russia | Olympics |
- In 1972, only Canada and the Soviet Union played in the Summit Series.
- In 1996, the Canada Cup was replaced by the World Cup of Hockey.
