Stockholm has been good to Tre Kronor

The first time Stockholm hosted the IIHF World Championship was back in 1949, and, boy, were things different then. All games except one (in Ostermalms) were played outdoors at Stockholms Stadion, which was built in 1910-12 as the main venue for the 1912 Summer Olympics. The ten teams were divided into three groups of 3, 3, and 4 teams, and after a round robin within each group the bottom four were put in a placement group while the top six went on to a medal round robin. Sweden finished fourth, narrowly missing a medal because on the final day they lost to Czechoslovakia while Canada (silver) and the United States (bronze) won their games.

For the next 40 years, however, any World Championship held in Stockholm produced a medal for Tre Kronor.

In 1954, for instance, Sweden won a bronze medal in dramatic fashion, beating Czechoslovakia 4-2 on the final day to leap over the Czechs to win a medal. And they did so after falling behind, 2-0, in the first period. But the legend, Sven “Tumba” Johansson, replied with two goals and Hans Oberg and Holger Nurmela chipped in with goals to seal the victory.

Games were played both at the Stadion (17 games) and at Ostermalms (11 games), which was another venue for the 1912 Olympics. 

The next hosting came in 1963, by which time all games were played inside at Johannesovs Stadion (often called Hovet for short). Sweden won a silver, behind the Soviet Union, but it was a frustrating result all the same. Early in the round robin, Tre Kronor beat CCCP, 2-1, and on the final day they were in a position to win gold. They needed only a tie against the Czechs but instead lost, 4-2, and had to settle for second place. Hovet is scheduled for demolition later this decade, but for now it remains an important part of the city’s hockey history.

Stockholm became the first city to host consecutive World Championships, in 1969 and 1970. The first one was a planned tournament, but the second was somewhat last minute. Canada was supposed to host, but they withdrew from IIHF competition to protest the Soviet Union’s professional players and their own inability to use some semi-pros in the tournament. As a result, Stockholm stepped in. All games in both years were played at Johanneshovs again, and Sweden won silver medals both times.

In 1969, they did the opposite of 1963. On the final day, they defeated the Czechs, 1-0, jumping up a spot and relegating the Czechs to the bronze medal. In 1970, it all came down to…