Ice hockey at the 1952 Winter Olympics — 1952 edition of the ice hockey tournament during the Olympic Winter Games
Canada's Edmonton Mercurys claimed the country's sixth Olympic ice hockey gold at the 1952 Oslo Games, also serving as the 19th World Championships.
Key Facts
- Tournament format
- Nine-nation round-robin; top three receive medals
- Gold medalist
- Canada (Edmonton Mercurys)
- Canada's Olympic gold count
- 6th Olympic title, 15th World title
- Bronze tiebreaker result
- Sweden defeated Czechoslovakia 5–3
- Primary venue
- Jordal Amfi Arena, Oslo
- Also served as
- 19th World Championships & 30th European Championships
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Disputes between the IOC and the IIHF over amateur codes and the role of IIHF president Fritz Kraatz threatened to exclude ice hockey from the 1952 Winter Olympics entirely. After it was initially dropped from the programme due to controversies surrounding the 1948 Games, the sport was reinstated at the IOC congress in Romania in 1951, allowing a nine-nation tournament to proceed in Oslo.
Nine nations competed in a round-robin ice hockey tournament held primarily at Jordal Amfi Arena in Oslo. Canada's Edmonton Mercurys and the United States drew their decisive final match, placing them first and second respectively. A dramatic bronze-medal tiebreaker saw Sweden overcome a three-goal deficit to defeat Czechoslovakia 5–3 and claim third place.
Canada secured its sixth Olympic gold and fifteenth World Championship title, while Sweden won its sixth European Championship. The tournament was shadowed by controversy, including Soviet accusations that Canada and the US had colluded to predetermine their draw, and Swiss press criticism of rough play. The episode intensified debate about ice hockey's place in the Olympic programme.
Result
at Jordal Amfi Arena, Oslo, Norway