What are the top three contries that excel in ice hockey?

Answer 1

Hockey in some form is played in every country of the world.

Field Hockey is more prevalent in western and central Europe, Asia, South America and the Pacific. Ice hockey is more common in North America, northern and eastern Europe, and Russia.

Answer 2

Best Country at HockeyThe best country at hockey is CANADA

However, the only people who would truly believe that are Canadiens. Canada, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, and the US are all about equal. You can pretty much bet on one of those teams winning the Gold in the Olympics, with an outside chance Slovakia could do it, too. The European countries put out more skilled players while Canada and US typically have more all around player.

Next answerer:

Here comes some statistics rather then perceptions:

The IIHF world ranking for 2014 based on performance in world championship and Olympics 2011-2014 is as follows:

1. Sweden

2. Finland

3. Russia

4. Canada

The number one ranked team the preceeding years were:

2013: Sweden

2012: Russia

2011: Russia

2010: Russia

2009: Russia

2008: Canada

2007: Sweden

2006: Sweden

If you look at gold medals in the World Championships and the Olympics the last 25 years (1987-2011) (now updated to 28 years i.e. -2014) there are four teams that stands out in the top:

1. Russia/CIS/Soviet Union 9

2. Sweden 8

2. Canada 8

4. Czech/Czechoslovakia 7

5. Finland 2

6. Slovakia 1

If you expand this to 50 years (1962-2011) (now updated to 53 years i.e. -2014) Russia is completely dominating:

1. Russia/CIS/Soviet Union 30

2. Czech/Czechoslovakia 11

3. Sweden 9

4. Canada 8

5. Finland 2

6. Slovakia 1

6. USA 1

From this statistics it´s quite easy to which country that is best in hockey in the world. You can also see that three countries are pretty equal in the fight for the second place.

Answer 3

in the world cup the competitors are USA, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Russia, Slovakia, and Sweden. other than that there aren't many countries who play hockey.---------------

Missing quite a bit. Ice Hockey is "popular" as a sport in the following countries:

• Canada
• United States (Northern)
• Sweden
• Finland
• Russia
• Switzerland
• Slovakia
• Czech Republic
• Germany
• Belarus
• Latvia

It also maintains some popularity in the following countries:

• Denmark
• Norway

The following countries also have teams competing in lower divisions:

• Slovenia (growing popularity)
• France
• Austria
• Estonia
• Great Britain
• Hungary
• Italy
• Japan
• Ukraine
• Kazakhstan
• Lithuania
• Netherlands
• Poland
• Spain
• South Korea
• China
• North Korea
• Australia
• Belgium
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Iceland
• Ireland
• Mexico
• New Zealand
• Romania
• Serbia
• Greece
• Israel
• Luxembourg
• UAE
• Mongolia
• South Africa
• Turkey

Countries such as Armenia have also competed, but have had their national programs suspended for varying reasons.

Answer 4

The IIHF (International Ice Hockey Federation) has 68 members:

Andorra

Argentina

Armenia

Australia

Austria

Azerbaijan

Belarus

Belgium

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Brazil

Bulgaria

Canada

Chile

China

Chinese Taipei

Croatia

Czech Republic

Denmark

DPR Korea

Estonia

Finland

France

Georgia

Germany

Great Britain

Greece

Hong Kong

Hungary

Iceland

India

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Japan

Kazakhstan

Korea

Kuwait

Latvia

Liechtenstein

Lithuania

Luxembourg

Macau

Macedonia

Malaysia

Mexico

Moldova

Mongolia

Namibia

Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Poland

Portugal

Romania

Russia

Serbia

Singapore

Slovakia

Slovenia

South Africa

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Thailand

Turkey

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

United States

Answer 5

As of 11 August 2012, following the 2012 London Summer Olympics, the top three men's teams as ranked by the International Hockey Federation are:

1. Germany
2. Australia
3. Netherlands

The full current world rankings can be seen through the related link.