Revival of the European Championship?

[EvilDead]

Something I have been mulling about in my mind as an American is that there is a lack of continental hockey competitions like there is in other sports. And while this is understandable for say North America since it is just the US and Canada, the lack of a European Championship for the national teams is honestly confusing to me. Especially when such a thing existed up until 1991. So why did it stop? Surely such a tournament, much in the way the EURO tournament in UEFA, would help in building up quality in the national teams and get nations to invest in the sport and help it grow no?

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[Theokritos]

And while this is understandable for say North America since it is just the US and Canada, the lack of a European Championship for the national teams is honestly confusing to me. Especially when such a thing existed up until 1991.

Well, there was no actual competition for it. They just created a second table based on the World Championship games between the European nations. It's not surprising it was an afterthought to the actual World Championship result and they stopped doing it altogether.

An extra competition makes sense in soccer where the World Cup is only held every four years. But in hockey with its annual World Championship? I don't see the lure.

 

[Albatros]

Playoff format was the primary reason why the title was retired after 1991.

 

[EvilDead]

Well, there was no actual competition for it. They just created a second table based on the World Championship games between the European nations. It's not surprising it was an afterthought to the actual World Championship result and they stopped doing it altogether.

An extra competition makes sense in soccer where the World Cup is only held every four years. But in hockey with its annual World Championship? I don't see the lure.

Fair point.

 

[HolyGhost]

Isn't there the champions hockey league

 

[BlizzardSloth]

Isn't there the champions hockey league

The talk is about national teams.