WILKES-BARRE, Pa. – The 2024 IIHF World Championship has arrived, and one of the game’s premier, international tournaments features more than a handful of current and former Penguins.
The 16-country tournament has become an annual tradition, but because many hockey fans have their attention fixated on the ongoing Stanley Cup Playoffs, it can be overlooked sometimes here in North America. For those who are unfamiliar with the event, here’s a quick history lesson…
HISTORY OF THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
The World Championship has been a sanctioned International Ice Hockey Federation event since the 1920 Summer Olympics. (That’s right, Olympic ice hockey used to be held during the summer.) Up until 1968, the Olympics doubled as the World Championship crown with the IIHF organizing its own tournaments scattered in between Olympic years.
Over time, the sport’s greatest icons have won World Championships, whether it be legendary players or behemoth teams. Even though many (rightfully) consider the Stanley Cup to be hockey’s ultimate prize and see the Olympics as the pinnacle of international hockey, the IIHF’s now-annual tournament still carries a great deal of prestige.
There’s even an exclusive group recognized for those who win a Stanley Cup, Olympic Gold and a World Championship during their careers: the Triple Gold Club. Only 30 players in history have captured all three championships to enter the Triple Gold Club, many of which are further immortalized in the Hockey Hall of Fame. In the case of active Triple Gold winners such as Patrice Bergeron, Pavel Datsyuk, Jonathan Toews, Jaromír Jágr and Sidney Crosby, Hall of Fame induction certainly awaits them later.
Canada is defending its 2023 championship in Czechia. Furthermore, Canada leads the pack with 28 gold medals and 53 medal total. The United States has only captured gold twice, but the Red, White and Blue have medaled in half of the last 10 tournaments.
Round robin play begins today, Friday, May 10, with games starting at 10:30 a.m. ET. The United States and plays Sweden in its first game on Friday at 2:20 p.m. ET. Many U.S. games will be broadcast live on NHL Network. The full Team USA schedule, as well as all other games, can be found on the IIHF website.
CURRENT PENGUINS AT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Raivis Ansons – Latvia
Michael Bunting – Canada
Erik Karlsson – Sweden
Alex Nedeljkovic – United States
Marcus Pettersson – Sweden
Jesse Puljujärvi – Finland
Valtteri…
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