Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
The Euro Ice Hockey Challenge is a yearly series of 4 national ice hockey tournaments, organised during each of the four international breaks defined in the IIHF calendar in September, November, December and February. Tournaments are played in different locations in Europe.
Organisation
The EIHC was founded in October 2001 by the IIHF. Participants are the ice hockey national teams of countries that are themselves at or around the level of the IIHF World Championship Division I. It is a second-tier equivalent to tournaments of the Euro Hockey Tour.
Almost all the teams use the EIHC as preparation for the World Championship later in the same year. It is an opportunity for teams to test less experienced players and for them to gain valuable ice time at an international level.
In 2001 the initial IIHF tournament scheme, planned to last until 2005, included the following 12 participating nations: Ukraine, Austria, the Netherlands, Italy, Latvia, Slovenia, Poland, Belarus, Norway, Great Britain, France, Denmark and Hungary. Since then participating countries have evolved along with Division I level.
Tournaments organised under the label of the Euro Ice Hockey Challenge have included the following:
Seasons
2002-03
- Main article: 2002-03 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
The season consisted of 12 tournaments. Belarus won three. Austria, Denmark, and Latvia each won two. France, Norway, and Ukraine won one apiece.
It was the only edition in which there was an overall ranking of the tournament, led by Belarus ahead of Latvia and Denmark.
2003-04
- Main article: 2003-04 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
2004-05
- Main article: 2004-05 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
In 2004-05, there were six tournaments. Poland won two. Denmark, Latvia, Slovenia, and Ukraine each won one. Romania participated in the tournament for the first time.
2005-06
- Main article: 2005-06 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
In 2005-06, there were a total of 12 tournaments. Norway won three. Belarus and Ukraine each won two. Austria, France, Italy, Latvia, and Slovenia won one apiece. Estonia participated in the tournament for the first time.
2006-07
- Main article: 2006-07 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
In 2006-07 the EIHC consisted of nine tournaments. Denmark won two tournaments. France, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Norway, Slovenia, and Ukraine all won one tournament. A tournament was held outside of Europe for the first time. The Nagano Cup was held in Japan.
2007-08
- Main article: 2007-08 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
There were eight tournaments in the 2007-08 season. Belarus, France, and Ukraine each won two tournaments. Latvia and Norway won one tournament apiece.
2008-09
- Main article: 2008-09 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
Due to Olympic qualifiers, only one tournament was held in 2008-09. The tournament in Oslo, Norway, was won by Austria.
2009-10
- Main article: 2009-10 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
Three tournaments were scheduled for 2009-10. One of the tournaments in February was later canceled for lack of sponsors just days before the beginning.
The tournaments were won by Slovenia and Italy.
2010-11
- Main article: 2010-11 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
2011-12
- Main article: 2011-12 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
2012-13
- Main article: 2012-13 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
2013-14
- Main article: 2013-14 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
2014-15
- Main article: 2014-15 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
2015-16
- Main article: 2015-16 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
2016-17
- Main article: 2016-17 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
2017-18
- Main article: 2017-18 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
2018-19
- Main article: 2018-19 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
2019-20
- Main article: 2019-20 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
2020-21
cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2021-22
- Main article: 2021-22 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
2022-23
- Main article: 2022-23 Euro Ice Hockey Challenge
Winners
2002-03
- Belarus (3)
- Ukraine (1)
- Norway (1)
- Denmark (2)
- France (1)
- Latvia (2)
- Austria (2)
2003-04
- Belarus (3)
- Ukraine (1)
- Norway (2)
- Denmark (1)
- France (1)
- Slovenia (2)
- Italy (1)
- Poland (1)
- Kazakhstan (1)
2004-05
- Ukraine (1)
- Denmark (1)
- Latvia (1)
- Slovenia (1)
- Poland (2)
2005-06
- Belarus (2)
- Ukraine (2)
- Norway (3)
- France (1)
- Latvia (1)
- Slovenia (1)
- Austria (1)
- Italy (1)
2006-07
- Ukraine (1)
- Norway (1)
- Denmark (2)
- France (1)
- Slovenia (1)
- Italy (1)
- Hungary (1)
- Japan (1)
2007-08
- Belarus (2)
- Ukraine (2)
- Norway (1)
- France (2)
- Latvia (1)
2008-09
- Austria (1)
2009-10
- Italy (1)
- Slovenia (1)
Medal Table
| Squad | Total victories |
2002-03 | 2003-04 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Belarus | 10 | 3 | 3 | - | 2 | - | 2 | - | - |
| Ukraine | 8 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | - | - |
| Norway | 8 | 1 | 2 | - | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | - |
| Denmark | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | - | 2 | - | - | - |
| France | 6 | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 2 | - | - |
| Latvia | 5 | 2 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | - | - |
| Slovenia | 5 | - | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - |
| Austria | 4 | 2 | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 | - |
| Italy | 4 | - | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Poland | 3 | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - |
| Hungary | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Kazakhstan | 1 | - | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Japan | 1 | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | - |