On Sunday, May 20, the International Hockey Federation published on its website the rating of the world's hockey world teams IIHF World Ranking. This rating determines the positions of the national hockey teams among the countries-participants of the International Federation( IIHF).The rating rating system used is extremely simple to understand and allows you to display the long-term quality of national programs in terms of hockey, as well as general orientation in world hockey.
In order to create a rating of the world's hockey teams, the results of the team's performance at the last Olympiad, as well as at the four world championships preceded it, are used. Thus, the champion of the Olympic Games or the world is awarded 1200 points of the rating. Between the two neighboring positions in the ranking the difference by points is exactly 20 points. Therefore, the team, ranked 12th, will receive 900 points, and 13th place - 880 points. However, in this rule there are exceptions: between the first and second, second and third, fourth and fifth, as well as the eighth and ninth places, the difference will be as much as 40 points.
When calculating in the hockey rating, more weight is given to the last tournament held. So, if the last championship is taken as 100%, then the penultimate will receive 75% and so on. The Olympics or the World Cup have the same weight.
Top ten best hockey teams ranked in 2012:
| Country | Country team | Points earned | Movement in rating as compared to the previous |
| 1 | Russia | 3385/3425 | 0 |
| 2 | Finland | 3345/3365 | 0 |
| 3 | Czech Republic | 3310/3330 | +2 |
| 4 | Sweden | 3280 | -1 |
| 5 | Canada | 3255 | -1 |
| 6 | Slovakia | 3100/3140 | +4 |
| 7 | United States | 3065 | -1 |
| 8 | Norway | 2960 | +1 |
| 9 | Switzerland | 2910 | -2 |
| 10 | Germany | 2885 | -2 |
The Russian national team has been keeping its leading position in the ranking of the best teams of the world for the fourth year already. Further in the ranking are Finland, Czech Republic, Sweden. In the fifth place were Canadians, followed by Slovaks, Americans, Norwegians, Swiss and Germans. Now, within the framework of the group stage of the Olympics in 2014, the Russian team will meet with the teams of the United States and Slovakia, as well as the national team that will be able to win the qualifying tournament. Recall that the Winter Olympic Games will be held from 7 to 23 February 2014 in Sochi.
It should be noted that there are a lot of experts in the field of team evaluation among the critics of this rating. The main reason for criticism is a complete disregard for the World Cup and the introduction of an overweight weight of each championship in comparison with the Olympic tournament. The fact is that during the World Cup many hockey players of high class have to play the NHL playoffs. In turn, this does not apply to the World Cup and( it was introduced in 1998) Olympics. The purpose of introducing this rating is to determine the seeding of teams at the next World Championships, and also to select those teams that will be able to participate in the Winter Olympic Games without having to participate in qualifying. For the first time the rating of national hockey teams among the countries participating in the International Ice Hockey Federation was calculated in 2003.Then the basis for the calculations were the results of the world championships from 2000 to 2003 and the 2002 Olympics.
We hope that each of the numerous army of fans of this sport will be interested to know not only what position the Russian team got this time( fans are already talking aboutthis is known), but also to find out about its nearest competitors and the origin of the hockey team.