Jason La Rose
Today marks exactly 365 days until the men’s hockey tournament begins at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games, and 365 days until Canada begins its quest for a third-consecutive gold medal.
The schedule has yet to be released, but the groups are set and the Canadians – nine-time Olympic gold medallist and the No. 1-ranked country by the International Ice Hockey Federation – will face off against the Czech Republic, host South Korea and Switzerland in preliminary-round play.
Historically, how has Canada fared against its first three opponents?
Czech Republic 2016 IIHF World Ranking: 6th
The Czechs have played in all six Olympic tournaments since the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, beating the odds to top the podium at the 1998 Games, the first to include NHLers. That tournament featured the Czechs’ lone win over Canada in Olympic play, the memorable semifinal shootout where Dominik Hasek stopped Theoren Fleury, Ray Bourque, Joe Nieuwendyk, Eric Lindros and Brendan Shanahan to send his country to the gold medal game.
Last international meeting: Canada 2, CZE 0 May 16, 2015 – IIHF World Championship (semifinals)
ALL-TIME OLYMPIC GAMES VS. CANADA Canada leads all-time series 1-0-1-0-1 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T)
February 21, 2006 – Canada 3, CZE 2 (preliminary round) February 18, 2002 – Canada 2, CZE 2 (medal round) February 20, 1998 – CZE 2, Canada 1 SO (semifinals)
PREVIOUS RESULTS 2014 – 6th place 2010 – 7th place 2006 – bronze medal 2002 – 7th place 1998 – gold medal 1994 – 5th place
South Korea 2016 IIHF World Ranking: 23rd
The host country enters its first top-level international tournament, having never competed at the Olympic Winter Games or IIHF World Championship. South Korea fell just a single point short of reaching the final qualification stages in 2014, and didn’t make it out of regional qualification tournaments in 1998 and 2002, the only other times it had been through the qualifying process.
Last international meeting: none
ALL-TIME OLYMPIC GAMES VS. CANADA Canada and South Korea have never met in international competition.
PREVIOUS RESULTS South Korea has never participated in men’s hockey at the Olympic Winter Games.
Switzerland 2016 IIHF World Ranking: 7th
Canada has dominated the all-time Olympic series, winning eight of nine games, but the last two meetings have been the closest – the Swiss earned their first-ever win over Canada in 2006, before the Canadians needed a shootout to score the victory in 2010. Switzerland has been in and out of Olympic tournaments since the inaugural event in 1920, claiming a pair of bronze medals in 1928 and 1948.
Last international meeting: Canada 7, SUI 2 May 10, 2015 – IIHF World Championship (preliminary round)
ALL-TIME OLYMPIC GAMES VS. CANADA Canada leads all-time series 7-1-0-1-0 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T)
February 18, 2010 – Canada 3, SUI 2 SO (preliminary round) February 18, 2006 – SUI 2, Canada 0 (preliminary round) February 10, 1992 – Canada 6, SUI 1 (preliminary round) February 16, 1988 – Canada 4, SUI 2 (preliminary round) January 29, 1964 – Canada 8, SUI 0 (round robin) February 21, 1952 – Canada 11, SUI 2 (round robin) February 8, 1948 – Canada 3, SUI 0 (round robin) February 19, 1928 – Canada 13, SUI 0 (medal round) January 30, 1924 – Canada 33, SUI 0 (preliminary round)
PREVIOUS RESULTS 2014 – 9th place 2010 – 8th place 2006 – 6th place 2002 – 11th place 1998 – did not qualify 1994 – did not qualify 1992 – 10th place 1988 – 8th place 1984 – did not qualify 1980 – did not qualify 1976 – 11th place 1972 – 10th place 1968 – did not qualify 1964 – 8th place 1960 – did not qualify 1956 – 9th place 1952 – 5th place 1948 – bronze medal 1936 – 9th place 1932 – did not qualify 1928 – bronze medal 1924 – 7th place 1920 – 5th place