Puerto Rico claims Men’s Development Cup

The 6th edition of the Men’s Development Cup concluded last week at the Palau del Gel d’Andorra in Canillo, Andorra, the city where the first edition of the event was held in 2017. Puerto Rico came out on top in the six-team tournament, with Liechtenstein second and Portugal third. Other participating nations included Andorra, Brazil, and Greece.

The win was an historic one for Puerto Rico, which was participating in its first IIHF-sanctioned event since joining the IIHF on September 28, 2022.

The Development Cup was initiated jointly in 2016 by the president of the Irish Ice Hockey Association and the Ice Hockey Federation of Andorra to provide an international event for IIHF Associate Members. The six teams are the ones which are closest to meeting the Minimum Participation Standards needed to compete in the IIHF’s World Championship Program.

The Puerto Ricans were nearly perfect in the tournament, winning all five games and posting a goals differential of 52-5. The only blemish was an OT win on April 25, a 2-1 win over Portugal. The loss was a heart-breaker for the Portuguese, who are coached by Jim Aldred, the IIHF’s 2025 recipient of the Johan Bollue Award (to be presented during the upcoming World Championship in Stockholm).

Portugal’s only other loss was equally tough, a 5-4 decision to Liechtenstein. The only Liechtenstein loss, meanwhile, was to Puerto Rico, 5-2 on 23 April. 

Greece finished with a 2-3 record while Brazil was 1-4 and Andorra winless at 0-5. All teams played every day for five successive days.