Do you believe in deja vu? If so, you just might be an optimistic Finnish fan as the 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship gets rolling in Tampere and Riga (12 to 28 May). Head coach Jukka Jalonen is hard to bet against as he looks for his fourth World Championship gold medal with the defending champion Finns. They also made history last year with their first Olympic gold medal, and deservedly top our first Power Rankings. Right behind in second place is Canada. It's faced Finland in the last three finals, winning in overtime in 2021 and barely falling short in 2019 and 2022. Sweden rounds out our top three with a potent blend of NHL, SHL, and Swiss NL talent, questing for its first title since 2018. Bring on the thrills!
1 | FIN | Finnish parliament votes to win gold again | |
2 | CAN | Ultimately, it’s all about Milan | |
3 | SWE | If only the quarter-finals were in Helsinki! | |
4 | CZE | Before Milan, the Roman Empire will rise again | |
5 | USA | There’s Apple, there’s Disney, and there’s us | |
6 | SUI | It’s our time to shine (silver-style) | |
7 | GER | If he was Swiss, we’d call him St. Moritz | |
8 | SVK | Eighth-place parade, anybody? | |
9 | LAT | Let’s have more fun than in 2021! | |
10 | DEN | Bjorkstrand killed the Avs, so Finland is toast | |
11 | NOR | As usual...we’re here! | |
12 | FRA | Le jour de gloire arrivera-t-il? | |
13 | AUT | Obviously, you gotta respect Mozart | |
14 | KAZ | We will not win the draft lottery | |
15 | SLO | Number one overall – in our fans’ hearts | |
16 | HUN | There’s no tanking in Tampere |
Click here to check out the previous editions of the Power Rankings.
The Power Rankings are for the enjoyment of IIHF.com readers, and reflect the progress of teams during the IIHF Ice Hockey Men's World Championship. They are distinct from the official standings and IIHF Men's World Ranking.
The Power Rankings are for the enjoyment of IIHF.com readers, and reflect the progress of teams during the IIHF Ice Hockey Men's World Championship. They are distinct from the official standings and IIHF Men's World Ranking.