Ice Hockey WC – What you need to know

The Ice Hockey World Championship, also known as the IIHF World Championship, is an annual competition that is contested between men’s international teams, and we have all the Ice Hockey World Cup odds!

The competition is the premier event of the sport and takes place yearly. In 2023, it will be the 86th time the tournament has been held since 1920! This year’s edition has already started, meaning there are a number of betting opportunities that fans and curious bettors will be looking forward to. In order to make the best ice hockey World Cup bets and predictions, though, you need to understand how the Championship works.

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Where and When is the Ice Hockey World Championship Played?

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The 2023 edition of the IIHF World Championships started on 12 May and will continue until 28 May, giving fans just over two weeks of pulsating action on the ice. The tournament will be played across two locations, with Tampere in Finland and Riga in Latvia both hosting the competition across the 16 days.

The group games are played between 12 May and 23 May, with numerous games being played on each day. The quarterfinals will begin on 25 May, with each of the four games to be played on the same day. A day’s break will then be given to the four winners as they will face off in the semi-finals on 27 May, before the third-place game and the final are contested a day later on 28 May.

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Who is in the Ice Hockey World Championship?

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There are a total of 16 teams participating in the upcoming tournament, with three continents being represented. A total of 13 teams feature from Europe, while Canada and the USA hail from North America. Kazakhstan is the sole representative from Asia in this year’s competition.

The full list of teams involved is as follows:

Automatic qualifiers as hosts:

• Finland (automatic qualifier as host)
• Latvia (automatic qualifier as host)

Automatic qualifiers after finishing inside the top 14 at the 2022 IIHF World Championships:

• Austria
• Canada
• Czechia
• Denmark
• France
• Germany
• Kazakhstan
• Norway
• Slovakia
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• United States

Qualified after obtaining a promotion through the 2022 IIHF World Championship Division I:

• Hungary
• Slovenia

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What happened at the 2022 IIHF World Championships?

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Finland were crowned champions last year in this tournament; a competition that they had hosted. They earned their fourth title after taking home the win against Canada with a 4-3 victory in overtime. Of the 10 games played on the ice, the team only lost one game in overtime, winning the other nine that had been played (eight in regulation and one in overtime).

Mikko Lehtonen, Mikael Granlund, and Sakari Manninen were key individuals for the Finns, as they each managed to record at least 10 points throughout the competition. Juho Olkinuora was the second-best goaltender in terms of save percentage (94.83%) but was named the overall MVP and best goaltender after he helped guide his country to the title. Czechia’s Roman Červenka was the leading point-scorer as he obtained 17.

Elsewhere, Great Britain and Italy both had disastrous competitions as they failed to win a single game from their seven played, and each recorded just one point. Neither of these will be competing in the 2023 IIHF World Championships, as both were relegated due to the format used. They have been replaced by Hungary and Slovenia in this year’s tournament as a result.

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How does the Ice Hockey World Championship work?

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Every team will be able to call upon anywhere between a minimum of 15 skaters and two goaltenders and up to a maximum of 25 skaters and three goaltenders for their tournament roster. Skaters are defined as forwards and defensemen. Each team will be required to provide a list two weeks before the start of the event, while the final roster will need to be confirmed at a Passport Control meeting that is held prior to the beginning of the championships.

Ahead of the tournament, the 16 teams are divided into two groups of eight teams (A and B) following a seeding process. This works by taking into account the 2022 world rankings, using the serpentine system, as well as considering input from the organising committee.

Each team will play against the others in their group once, thus completing a minimum of seven games. The top four teams from each group will progress to a knockout competition as the quarterfinals begin before a winner is ultimately crowned the next IIHF World Champion. The bottom team of each group will be relegated to the 2024 Division I A event.

The quarterfinals will see the team that finishes first in their Group play against number four in the other. The team that comes second in Group A will play against the third team in Group B, and so on.

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2023 Ice Hockey World Championship Groups

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The Ice Hockey World Championship Groups are formed of the following (seeding):

Group A – which will see all games be played in Tampere:

• Finland (1)
• United States (4)
• Sweden (5)
• Germany (9)
• Denmark (10)
• France (13)
• Austria (15)
• Hungary (20)

Group B – which will have all games played in Riga:

• Canada (2)
• Czechia (6)
• Switzerland (7)
• Slovakia (8)
• Latvia (11)
• Norway (12)
• Kazakhstan (16)
• Slovenia (19)

When looking at each group and the past results of recent competitions, it is important for bettors to consider doing as much Ice Hockey World Championship analysis as possible before the beginning of the 2023 event, especially if they are looking to place a wager on the tournament.

Finland and Canada have been kept separate again, with both teams vying to reach the final just a year after doing so. They are ranked highly, and it is almost impossible not to look at these two ice hockey behemoths, especially as each team has a number of the best Ice Hockey World Championship players on their rosters.

It is important to note that the United States and the Czech Republic will be in the running after reaching the semi-finals last year. Both teams have talented rosters, too, and will be looking to go one better than they did last year. Sweden, though, will be out to improve on last year’s performance, as they were disappointingly eliminated in the quarterfinals after being beaten 4-3 by Canada in overtime.

However, one thing to remember when making Ice Hockey World Championship predictions is that players who feature in the NHL and are still in Stanley Cup contention will not be available for selection. This can have an impact on a number of teams’ chances of achieving glory, and their absence should always be considered. Canada, for example, will be without a number of their stars as the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers continue to progress for the biggest club honour in the sport. Many of the other competing nations also have players plying their trade on the ice across North America, too. For example, Sweden will be without Elias Pettersson after the Vancouver Canucks made the postseason.

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Overall 2023 Ice Hockey World Championship Betting Predictions

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For bettors who are looking at the outright markets that are available with us then it is worth considering who the eventual winner of the Ice Hockey World Championship will be. 

Finland are being well-backed to retain their title currently, with Canada expected to be the closest challenger. If this were to happen, we would get a repeat of the 2022 IIHF World Championship final, and it seems many believe this will be the case on 28 May.

Outside Ice Hockey World Championship predictions include Sweden, as many feel they have the quality on the roster needed to challenge and will be looking to do much better than last year’s disappointing quarterfinal elimination. The USA and Czechia make the top five, but their odds appear to have been hampered as individuals who could be classed as Ice Hockey World Championship players are unlikely to be involved due to their involvement with NHL clubs that will be competing for the Stanley Cup.

Despite the fact that there will be a number of players missing, there is no doubt that this year’s 2023 IIHF World Championship will be one to watch. A host of games will be played on a daily basis, while there is only a short break between matches being played in the knockout phase of the competition, too. Expect fast and frenetic action on the ice with each game, as everyone looks to put the puck into the opponent’s net and secure the win.

There will be plenty of betting opportunities available over the course of the 16 days that are played on the ice. Therefore we suggest you start doing your Ice Hockey World Championship analysis now!

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FAQs for 2023 Ice Hockey World Championship

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When is the 2023 Ice Hockey World Championship?

The event will begin on 12 May and will run until 28 May, when the best two teams in the competition will compete in the final.

Where is the 2023 Ice Hockey World Championship being played?

This year’s competition is being played across two nations, with Finland and Latvia co-hosting. Group A matches will be played in Tampere, while Group B matches will be contested in Riga.

Who is in the 2023 IIHF World Championships?

A total of 16 teams will be competing in this year’s event, with three continents represented. Finland, Sweden, Czechia (Czech Republic), Switzerland, Slovakia, Germany, Denmark, Latvia, Norway, France, Austria, Slovenia, and Hungary all feature for Europe, Kazakhstan features for Asia, and North America is represented by Canada and the USA. Each group will feature eight teams.

How many games will be played at the 2023 IIHF World Championships?

Each team will play a minimum of seven group games, although the most two teams will play is 10 (should they reach the final).

Who qualifies for the elimination stage of the tournament?

The top four teams from both groups will advance to the quarterfinals. They will then play in knockout games after being ranked in terms of their group position. The bottom team of each group will be relegated from the competition, while those finishing fifth, sixth, and seventh, will see their tournament end.

What is the best 2023 Ice Hockey World Championship Prediction?

Finland are the current favourites to win the event, retaining their title in the process from last year. They are the best 2023 Ice Hockey World Championship prediction, as they have a roster full of quality. Canada is expected to challenge yet again, and it would not be a surprise to see these two nations competing in the final.

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