Ice hockey is the official national winter sport of Canada, as well as the most popular winter sport in the United States, Belarus, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Finland, Latvia, Russia, Slovakia, Sweden, and Switzerland. Due to the sport’s popularity, there are numerous professional leagues, junior tournaments, and international competitions throughout the world.
Professional Ice Hockey Leagues
While the National Hockey League (NHL) is the most well known and considered the highest level for men’s professional ice hockey, there are many professional leagues across the globe.
Below are the leagues based on average attendance for the 2018-19 seasons
| League | Country | Notes | Average Attendance 2018–19 |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Hockey League (NHL) |  Canada (7 teams) United States (25 teams) | 32 teams in 2021–22 season | 17,406 |
| National League (NL) |  Switzerland | 6,949 | |
| Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) |  Russia (19 teams) Belarus (1 team) China (1 team) Finland (1 team) Kazakhstan (1 team) Latvia (1 team) | Successor to Russian Superleague and Soviet Championship League | 6,397 |
| Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) |  Germany | 6,215 | |
| Swedish Hockey League (SHL) |  Sweden | Known as Elitserien until 2013 | 5,936 |
| American Hockey League (AHL) | United States (27 teams) Canada (4 teams) | Developmental league for NHL | 5,672 |
| Czech Extraliga |  Czech Republic | Formed from the split of the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League | 5,401 |
| ECHL | United States (25 teams) Canada (2 teams) | 4,365 | |
| Western Hockey League (WHL) | Canada (17 teams) United States (5 teams) | Junior league | 4,295 |
| Liiga | Finland | Originally SM-sarja from 1928 to 1975. Known as SM-Liiga from 1975 to 2013 | 4,232 |
| Ontario Hockey League (OHL) | Canada (17 teams) United States (3 teams) | Junior league | 3,853 |
| Champions Hockey League |  Europe | Europe-wide championship tournament league. Successor to European Trophy and Champions Hockey League | 3,397 |
| NCAA Men’s Division I Ice Hockey Tournament | United States | Amateur intercollegiate competition | 3,281 |
| Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) | Canada | Junior league | 3,271 |
| Southern Professional Hockey League | United States | 3,116 | |
| Austrian Hockey League |  Austria (8 teams) Hungary (1 team) Czechia (1 team) Italy (1 team) Croatia (1 team) | 2,970 | |
| Elite Ice Hockey League |  United Kingdom | Teams in all of the home nations: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland | 2,850 |
| HockeyAllsvenskan | Sweden | Second division of Sweden | 2,713 |
| DEL2 | Germany | Second division of Germany | 2,511 |
| United States Hockey League (USHL) | United States | Amateur junior league | 2,367 |
| Swiss League | Switzerland | Second division of Switzerland | 1,845 |
| GET-ligaen |  Norway | 1,827 | |
| Supreme Hockey League (VHL) | Russia (24 teams) Kazakhstan (2 teams) China (2 teams) | Second division of Russia and partial development league for the KHL | 1,766 |
| Ligue Magnus |  France | 1,716 | |
| WSM Liga | Czechia | Second division of Czechia | 1,674 |
| Slovak Extraliga |  Slovakia (11 teams) Hungary (2 teams) | Formed from the split of the Czechoslovak First Ice Hockey League | 1,663 |
| Federal Prospects Hockey League | United States | 1,546 | |
| Metal Ligaen |  Denmark | 1,525 | |
| Latvian Hockey Higher League | Latvia (6 teams) | 1,354 | |
| Asia League |  Japan (4 teams) South Korea (3 teams) Russia (1 team) China (1 team) | 976 | |
| National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) | United States (5 teams) Canada (1 team) | Formed in 2015 | 954 |
| BeNe League |  Netherlands (10 teams) Belgium (6 teams) | Formed in 2015 with teams from Dutch Eredivisie and Belgian Hockey League | 784 |
| Mestis | Finland | Successor to I-Divisioona, Second division of Finland | 762 |
| Polska Hokej Liga |  Poland | 751 | |
| Alps Hockey League | Austria (7 teams) Italy (8 teams) Slovenia (2 teams) | Formed in 2016 with the merger of Italy’s Serie A and the joint Austrian–Slovenian Inter-National League | 734 |
| Belarusian Extraleague | Belarus | 717 | |
| Erste Liga | Hungary (6 teams) Romania (2 teams) Austria (1 team) | 601 | |
| Swedish Women’s Hockey League | Sweden | Formed in 2007 and known as Riksserien until 2016 | 234 |
International League News
- Top 10 Best Ice Hockey Leagues
- Blues Prospect Klim Kostin Breaking Out With Regular Play in KHL
- Red Wings’ Prospect Jonatan Berggren off to a Scorching Start in the SHL
- Ex-NHLers Overseas: Datsyuk, Granlund, Jaskin & More
- The Story of My Russian KHL Odyssey
- Flames’ Artyom Zagidulin KHL Loan Important to Development
- Boston Pride Win 2021 Isobel Cup, Become 1st NWHL Team with 2 Titles
- NWHL Players React to Commissioner Stepping Down
- Winnipeg Jets’ Prospects Continue to Thrive Overseas
- NHLers by Country: On Top of Their Game and the World
International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF)
The IIHF is the formal governing body for the ice hockey federations in 76 countries. They are responsible for managing international tournaments and maintaining the IIHF World Rankings.
Current Title Holders
| Tournament | World Champion | Year |
| Men | Finland | 2022 |
| Men’s World Junior | Canada | 2023 |
| Men’s U-18 | Sweden | 2022 |
| Women | Canada | 2022 |
| Women’s U-18 | Canada | 2022 |
Men’s World Championship
- Hockey Canada Names Management Team for 2021 World Championship
- Hornqvist Caps Off Season with World Gold
- 4 Avalanche Thrive at World Championship
- NHL Players & Prospects to Represent Russia in Denmark
Women’s World Championship
- World Reacts to Cancellation of 2021 IIHF Women’s World Championship
- Denmark’s Kristine Melberg Is in a Halifax-State of Mind
- Ukraine to Debut in Women’s World Championship
- Ireland’s Current State of Women’s Ice Hockey
World Junior Hockey Championship
- Hockey’s Culture Problem: A Lack of Mentorship
- Five 2018 Canadian World Juniors Players Told to Surrender
- Blackhawks Prospects Shine at 2024 World Junior Championship
- Canadiens’ Lane Hutson is NHL-Ready
- Sweden Settles for Silver at 2024 World Junior Championship
- US Wins 2024 WJC Gold Medal in Throttling of Sweden
- Ducks Prospects Have Disappointing 2024 World Juniors
- Flyers’ Cutter Gauthier Named Best Forward at 2024 World Juniors
- Canucks Prospects Help Sweden Win Silver At 2024 WJC
- Czechia Scores 6 Unanswered Goals to Earn Bronze at 2024 WJC
Men’s U-18 World Championship
- 2021 U-18 World Championship Team Sweden Preview
- Rasmus Dahlin, Hockey Culture and the Frölunda Hockey Club
- Prospects News & Rumors: Sokolov, Miroshnichenko & Cossa
Olympic Ice Hockey
Men’s Tournament
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| 1 | Canada | 9 | 4 | 3 | 16 |
| 2 | United States | 2 | 8 | 1 | 11 |
| T3 | Soviet Union | 7 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| T3 | Sweden | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 |
| 5 | Czechoslovakia | 0 | 4 | 4 | 8 |
| 6 | Finland | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 |
| T7 | Czech Republic | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| T7 | Great Britain | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| T7 | Germany | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| T7 | Russia | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| T7 | Switzerland | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| T12 |  Olympic Athletes from Russia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| T12 | Unified Team | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| T12 | West Germany | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (14 Nations) | 24 | 24 | 24 | 72 |
- “Miracle on Ice” 40 Years Later: Where Are They Now?
- 3 Legendary Olympic Hockey Players You’ve Never Heard Of
- Jordan Greenway Breaks US Olympic Hockey “Color Barrier”
- Projecting Germany’s 2022 Olympic Roster
- Projecting Switzerland’s 2022 Olympic Roster
- Projecting Czech Republic’s 2022 Olympic Roster
- Projecting Finland’s 2022 Olympic Roster
- Projecting Sweden’s 2022 Olympic Roster
- Projecting Russia’s 2022 Olympic Roster
- Projecting Canada’s 2022 Olympic Hockey Team
- Projecting the 2022 U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey Team
Women’s Tournament
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
| T1 | Canada | 4 | 2 | 0 | 6 |
| T1 | United States | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| 3 | Finland | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| 4 | Sweden | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 5 | Switzerland | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Totals (5 Nations) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 18 |
- USA’s Cayla Barnes Is the Consummate Role Model
- PyeongChang Women’s Tournament Award Winners Recap
- 3 Reasons the American Women Won Olympic Gold
- US Olympian Hilary Knight: 5 Quick Facts
- Finland’s Noora Räty: A HHoF Worthy Goalie
- 2018 Olympics Women’s Gold Medal Preview
- 10 Unsung Heroines in Olympic Women’s Hockey History
- “Humbled and Honored”: Sweden’s Sabina Küller
- Team Unified Korea Women’s Roster & Preview for Winter Olympics
