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Norway men's national ice hockey team

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The Norway men's national ice hockey team is the national ice hockey team from Norway that participates at the IIHF World Championships. The team is governed by the Norwegian Ice Hockey Association and is coached by Petter Thoresen.

Norway
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Isbjørnene (The Polar Bears)
AssociationNIHF
General managerRoger Harli
Head coachTobias Johansson
AssistantsNiklas Andresen
Pär Johannson
CaptainPatrick Thoresen
Most gamesTommy Jakobsen (135)
Team colors     
IIHF codeNOR
Ranking
Current IIHF12 Steady (27 May 2024)[1]
Highest IIHF8 (2012)
Lowest IIHF21 (2004)
First international
Czechoslovakia  7–0  Norway
(London, England; 17 February 1937)
Biggest win
Norway  24–0  Belgium
(Sofia, Bulgaria; 5 March 1975)
Norway  25–1  China
(Debrecen, Hungary; 22 April 2005)
Biggest defeat
Finland  20–1  Norway
(Hämeenlinna, Finland; 12 March 1947)
Olympics
Appearances12 (first in 1952)
IIHF World Championships
Appearances70 (first in 1937)
Best result4th (1951)
International record (W–L–T)
453–773–112

History

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Norway prior to the 1937 World Championships, their first international tournament. They finished in ninth place.

The Norwegian Ice Hockey Association (NIHA) was founded in 1934 and, adopting the international rules and regulations of ice hockey, became a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation in 1935.[2][3] Poor finances delayed the formation of a national team until 1937, and continued to hamper its development in the years prior to World War II. After missing out on the 1935 World Championships and 1936 Winter Olympics, the NIHF managed to raise enough funds to send a team to London for the 1937 World Championships. The national ice hockey team thus played its first game on 17 February 1937, losing 0–7 to Czechoslovakia, and was eliminated from the competition following a 2–13 loss to Switzerland.[4] Norway also took part in the next tournament in 1938, but was unable to participate in 1939. Results remained meagre throughout the pre-war years; of the nine international fixtures contested between 1937 and 1940, the closest Norway came to winning was 3–4 in the first game against Sweden, on 20 January 1939.[5]

After the war, ice hockey in Norway accelerated as new teams formed and improvements in infrastructure were made. The opening of the Jordal Amfi in Oslo made Norway's facilities state of the art.[6] Results began to improve on the international stage, though not before Norway had endured its worst defeat ever at the hands of Finland in 1947.[citation needed]

The period from 1949 to 1953 has been viewed as a "golden age" in the history of the national team, beginning with the maiden victory, a 2–0 win over Belgium at the 1949 World Championships. In 1951, the NIHF appointed Canadian Bud McEachern as head coach. McEachern brought a physical style which suited the players of the generation well,[7] and at the 1951 World Championships, Norway defeated the United States and Great Britain to finish fourth overall. Norway's inaugural Olympic tournament, was as host nation of the 1952 Winter Olympics. In 1953, Norway was the first Western nation to play the Soviet Union, overshadowed by the death of Joseph Stalin shortly after the team's arrival in Moscow.[citation needed]

Norway would continue during the 1950s to challenge the strongest national hockey teams. From the 1960s, the sport became more popular in the nation but national team achievements would decline as mild winters did not result in government support to construct artificial ice rinks to replace what had traditionally been relied on in the past due to weather conditions.[8] NIHA president Tore Johannessen managed Norway at the 1962 Ice Hockey World Championships.[9] After the 1965 World Championships, Norway was no longer allowed to compete at the highest level, and the NIHF resigned itself to competing at the top of Pool B instead.[8] Qualifying for the Winter Olympics was still within reach, however, and Norway managed to do so in both 1964 and 1968.

Norway would be relegated to Pool C after finishing in last place in Pool B of the 1972 World Championships. The NIHF was forced to revise its objectives; not to return to Pool A, but merely to survive in Pool B. The goal of qualifying for the Winter Olympics remained throughout this period, but after another stint in Pool C in 1975, the ice hockey tournament at the 1976 Winter Olympics went ahead without Norway's participation.[8]

In the 1970s, the unwillingness of the government to support the sport with improved training facilities encouraged a growing reluctance among players to represent Norway internationally.[8] This trend was finally reversed under the leadership of Georg Smefjell and Olav Dalsøren from 1978 to 1980. Smefjell and Dalsøren succeeded in reestablishing Norway competing internationally. At the 1979 World Championships, Norway finished fourth in Pool B and qualified for the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. There, the team showed encouraging signs for the future, despite losing heavily against the top tier nations and eventually coming away from the tournament with only a single point.[10]

 
Game between France and Norway at Patinoire Pôle Sud in 2013.
 
Norwegian players prior to a game during the 2010 Winter Olympics, where they finished in 12th place.
 
Norwegian team's victory ceremony in at the 2022 World Championships

The appointment of Ronald Pettersson as head coach in 1980 heralded an era of Swedish influence on Norway's international ice hockey. For the next nine years, four Swedish coaches in a row took charge of a team that proved to be highly unstable. For Pettersson, the 1981 World Championships were a disappointment. Wins against Yugoslavia and Japan were barely enough to avoid relegation from Pool B. His successor, Arne Strömberg, experienced similar difficulties. At the 1982 World Championships, an otherwise strong performance was blighted by losses against newly promoted China and Austria.[10]

The next Swedish import was Hans Westberg in 1982, whose unorthodox methods lead Norway to the 1984 Winter Olympics. Expectations ahead of the Olympic tournament were only partially met, the 3–3 draw against the United States being the most notable result.[10][11] The following season, while initially promising, ended in catastrophe at the 1985 World Championships as Norway dropped out of Pool B for the third time.[12]

Norway stabilized itself in the lower half of Pool A in the 1990s, but the team was relegated again in 1997. After a spell with Swedish coach Leif Boork, Roy Johansen was hired in 2001. A new era of slow, but steady, growth began and Norway climbed thirteen places in the IIHF World Ranking during Johansen's reign, from a 21st place in 2004, to an 8th place in 2012. Johansen stepped down as head coach in 2016 and was replaced by Petter Thoresen.

Tournament record

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Olympic record

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Games GP W OW T OL L GF GA Coach Captain Finish Rank
  1952 Oslo 8 0 0 0 0 8 15 46 Bud McEachern Round-robin 9th
  1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo did not participate
  1960 Squaw Valley did not participate
  1964 Innsbruck 7 5 0 0 0 2 40 19 Rolf Kirkvaag Consolation round (group B) 10th
  1968 Grenoble 6 3 0 0 0 3 16 18 Egil Bjerklund Consolation round (group B) 11th
  1972 Sapporo 5 3 0 0 0 2 17 27 Ake Brask Consolation round 8th
  1976 Innsbruck did not participate
  1980 Lake Placid 5 0 0 1 0 4 9 36 Ronald Pettersson, Olav Dalsøren First round 11th
  1984 Sarajevo 7 1 0 1 0 5 15 43 Hans Westberg First round 12th
  1988 Calgary 6 0 0 1 0 5 18 38 Lenhart Åhlberg, Tore Jobs 11th place game 12th
  1992 Albertville 6 1 0 0 0 5 12 40 Bengt Olsson, Tore Jobs 9th place match 9th
 1994 Lillehammer 7 1 0 0 0 6 11 26 Bengt Olsson, Tore Jobs 11th place match 11th
 1998 Nagano did not qualify
  2002 Salt Lake City did not qualify
  2006 Turin did not qualify
  2010 Vancouver 4 0 0 – 1 3 8 23 Roy Johansen Tommy Jakobsen Qualification playoffs 10th
  2014 Sochi 4 0 0 – 0 4 3 16 Ole-Kristian Tollefsen Qualification playoffs 12th
  2018 Pyeongchang 5 0 1 – 1 3 5 18 Petter Thoresen Jonas Holøs Quarter-finals 8th
  2022 Beijing did not qualify
  2026 Milan and Cortina

World Championship

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  • 1937 – 9th place
  • 1938 – 13th place
  • 1949 – 8th place
  • 1950 – 6th place
  • 1951 – 4th place
  • 1952 – 9th place
  • 1954 – 8th place
  • 1956 – 12th place (2nd in "Pool B")
  • 1958 – 7th place
  • 1959 – 8th place
  • 1961 – 9th place (Won "Pool B" after qualification)
  • 1962 – 5th place
  • 1963 – 9th place (Won "Pool B")
  • 1964 – 10th place (2nd in "Pool B" after qualification)
  • 1965 – 8th place
  • 1966 – 12th place (4th in "Pool B")
  • 1967 – 11th place (3rd in "Pool B")
  • 1968 – 11th place (3rd in "Pool B" after qualification)
  • 1969 – 11th place (5th in "Pool B")
  • 1970 – 9th place (3rd in "Pool B")
  • 1971 – 10th place (4th in "Pool B")
  • 1972 – 13th place (7th in "Pool B")
  • 1973 – 15th place (Won "Pool C")
  • 1974 – 13th place (7th in "Pool B")
  • 1975 – 15th place (Won "Pool C")
  • 1976 – 11th place (3rd in "Pool B")
  • 1977 – 12th place (4th in "Pool B")
  • 1978 – 14th place (6th in "Pool B")
  • 1979 – 12th place (4th in "Pool B")
  • 1981 – 14th place (6th in "Pool B")
  • 1982 – 12th place (4th in "Pool B")
  • 1983 – 12th place (4th in "Pool B")
  • 1985 – 15th place (7th in "Pool B")
  • 1986 – 17th place (Won "Pool C")
  • 1987 – 10th place (2nd in "Pool B")
  • 1989 – 9th place (Won "Pool B")
  • 1990 – 8th place
  • 1991 – 10th place (2nd in "Pool B")
  • 1992 – 10th place
  • 1993 – 9th place
  • 1994 – 11th place
  • 1995 – 10th place
  • 1996 – 10th place
  • 1997 – 12th place
  • 1998 – 21st place (5th in "Pool B")
  • 1999 – 12th place
  • 2000 – 10th place
  • 2001 – 15th place
  • 2002 – 22nd place (3rd in "Group B")
  • 2003 – 20th place (2nd in "Group B")
  • 2004 – 20th place (2nd in "Group A")
  • 2005 – 17th place (Won "Group A")
  • 2006 – 11th place
  • 2007 – 14th place
  • 2008 – 8th place
  • 2009 – 11th place
  • 2010 – 9th place
  • 2011 – 6th place
  • 2012 – 8th place
  • 2013 – 10th place
  • 2014 – 12th place
  • 2015 – 11th place
  • 2016 – 10th place
  • 2017 – 11th place
  • 2018 – 13th place
  • 2019 – 12th place
  • 2020 – Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[13]
  • 2021 – 13th place
  • 2022 – 13th place
  • 2023 – 13th place
  • 2024 – 11th place
  • 2025 –

Team

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Current roster

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Roster for the 2024 IIHF World Championship.[14][15]

Head coach: Tobias Johansson

No. Pos. Name Height Weight Birthdate Team
2 D Isak Hansen 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) 93 kg (205 lb) (2003-10-02) 2 October 2003 (age 21)   Sparta Sarpsborg
4 D Johannes Johannesen 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) 85 kg (187 lb) (1997-03-01) 1 March 1997 (age 27)   Lahti Pelicans
7 D Sander Vold Engebråten 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) 82 kg (181 lb) (2002-07-07) 7 July 2002 (age 22)   Mikkelin Jukurit
8 F Mathias Trettenes 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) 82 kg (181 lb) (1993-11-08) 8 November 1993 (age 30)   Stavanger Oilers
10 D Mattias Nørstebø – A 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) 80 kg (180 lb) (1995-06-03) 3 June 1995 (age 29)   IF Björklöven
12 F Noah Steen 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 86 kg (190 lb) (2004-08-16) 16 August 2004 (age 20)   Mora IK
13 F Petter Vesterheim 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in) 78 kg (172 lb) (2004-09-30) 30 September 2004 (age 20)   Mora IK
17 F Eirik Salsten 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 88 kg (194 lb) (1994-06-17) 17 June 1994 (age 30)   Storhamar Hockey
18 F Thomas Olsen 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) 92 kg (203 lb) (1995-06-25) 25 June 1995 (age 29)   Vålerenga Ishockey
19 F Håvard Salsten 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 90 kg (200 lb) (2000-08-19) 19 August 2000 (age 24)   Sparta Sarpsborg
20 F Mathias Emilio Pettersen 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) 82 kg (181 lb) (2000-04-03) 3 April 2000 (age 24)   Texas Stars
22 F Martin Rønnild 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) 95 kg (209 lb) (1996-01-24) 24 January 1996 (age 28)   Storhamar Hockey
23 F Thomas Berg Paulsen – A 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) 85 kg (187 lb) (1999-08-06) 6 August 1999 (age 25)   Malmö Redhawks
27 F Andreas Martinsen 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) 105 kg (231 lb) (1990-06-13) 13 June 1990 (age 34)   Storhamar Hockey
28 F Michael Brandsegg-Nygård 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) 93 kg (205 lb) (2005-10-05) 5 October 2005 (age 19)   Mora IK
30 G Tobias Normann 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) 85 kg (187 lb) (2001-08-03) 3 August 2001 (age 23)   AIK IF
31 G Jonas Arntzen 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) 90 kg (200 lb) (1997-11-21) 21 November 1997 (age 26)   Örebro HK
33 G Henrik Haukeland 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 93 kg (205 lb) (1994-12-06) 6 December 1994 (age 29)   Düsseldorfer EG
36 F Mats Zuccarello 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in) 74 kg (163 lb) (1987-09-01) 1 September 1987 (age 37)   Minnesota Wild
37 F Markus Vikingstad 1.94 m (6 ft 4 in) 96 kg (212 lb) (1999-09-27) 27 September 1999 (age 25)   Fischtown Pinguins
41 F Patrick Thoresen – C 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) 93 kg (205 lb) (1983-11-07) 7 November 1983 (age 40)   Storhamar Hockey
43 D Max Krogdahl 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) 93 kg (205 lb) (1998-10-21) 21 October 1998 (age 26)   Östersunds IK
49 D Christian Kåsastul 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) 86 kg (190 lb) (1997-04-09) 9 April 1997 (age 27)   Pustertal Wölfe
54 D Sander Hurrod 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) 85 kg (187 lb) (2000-04-02) 2 April 2000 (age 24)   Storhamar Hockey
71 F Eskild Bakke Olsen 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in) 93 kg (205 lb) (2002-03-19) 19 March 2002 (age 22)   BIK Karlskoga
72 D Stian Solberg 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) 92 kg (203 lb) (2005-12-29) 29 December 2005 (age 18)   Vålerenga Ishockey

Individual all-time records

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  Still active players are highlighted

Most matches played

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Player Time Matches Club on debut
Tommy Jakobsen (D) 1992–2010 139 Furuset
Mats Trygg (D) 1999–present 122 Manglerud Star
Jim Marthinsen (G) 1980–1995 114 Vålerenga
Thor Martinsen (D) 1964–1980 113 Frisk Tigers
Per-Åge Skrøder (F) 1999–present 113 Lillehammer
Mads Hansen (F) 2000–present 110 Storhamar
Erik Kristiansen (F) 1983–1994 97 Storhamar
Ole Eskild Dahlstrøm (F) 1989–2005 96 Furuset
Petter Thoresen (F) 1980–1995 96 Vålerenga
Petter Salsten (D) 1987–1995 92 Furuset
Tore Vikingstad (F) 1995–2010 88 Stjernen
Trond Magnussen (F) 1992–2004 88 Stjernen
Ørjan Løvdal (F) 1983–1995 83 Stjernen
Marius Trygg (F) 1999–present 82 Manglerud Star
Robert Schistad (G) 1991–2000 82 Viking
Morten Ask (F) 2000–present 82 Vålerenga

Last updated: 4 January 2015
Source: hockey.no

Other notable players

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Note: Still active players are bolded

All-time record

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Updated as of 22 April 2024. Defunct teams are listed in italics.

Opponent Played Won Drawn Lost GF GA GD
  Austria 55 32 5 18 200 141 +59
  Belarus 39 12 4 23 91 114 −23
  Belgium 5 5 0 0 58 7 +51
  Bulgaria 5 4 1 0 31 11 +20
  Canada 84 5 4 75 142 487 −345
  China 11 9 1 1 93 20 +73
  Croatia 4 4 0 0 36 5 +31
  Czech Republic 31 1 2 28 33 121 −88
  Czechoslovakia 18 0 0 18 23 141 −118
  Denmark 97 46 9 42 310 245 +65
  East Germany 68 12 4 52 200 363 −163
  Estonia 2 1 0 1 4 2 +2
  Finland 97 8 5 84 147 494 −347
  France 97 58 14 25 335 225 +110
  Germany 49 14 2 33 145 238 −93
  Great Britain 21 16 1 4 113 55 +58
  Hungary 27 16 3 8 102 64 +38
  Italy 46 26 3 17 167 132 +35
  Japan 38 16 8 14 159 131 +28
  Kazakhstan 7 3 1 3 21 18 +3
  Latvia 41 16 0 25 108 135 −27
  Lithuania 3 2 0 1 15 8 +7
  Netherlands 42 25 6 11 200 130 +70
  Poland 77 31 7 39 243 316 −73
  Romania 31 15 3 13 134 112 +22
  Russia 18 1 1 16 25 75 −50
  Serbia and Montenegro 1 1 0 0 21 0 +21
  Slovakia 36 7 2 27 65 140 −75
  Slovenia 16 8 1 7 50 44 +6
  South Korea 6 6 0 0 31 6 +25
  Soviet Union 13 0 0 13 14 115 −101
  Spain 1 1 0 0 18 3 +15
  Sweden 96 2 11 83 139 527 −388
   Switzerland 76 26 5 45 221 289 −68
  Ukraine 9 3 1 5 26 27 −1
  United States 44 5 3 36 106 246 −140
  Yugoslavia 28 18 5 5 155 97 +58
Total 1,332 453 112 773 3,983 5,280 −1,297

Uniform evolution

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  • National team jerseys
  •  
    1964–1969
  •  
    1973–1977
  •  
    1978–1983
  •  
    1985–1987
  •  
    1989–1990
  •  
    1990–1994
  •  
    1995
  •  
    1996–1997
  •  
    1998
  •  
    2006–2008
  •  
    2014 Olympics
  •  
    2018 Olympics
  •  
    2018–2021
  •  
    2022–

References

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  1. ^ "IIHF Men's World Ranking". IIHF. 27 May 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
  2. ^ Langholm, Dag (1984). Norsk ishockey gjennom 50 år. pp. 39–40.
  3. ^ "Norway". International Ice Hockey Federation. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
  4. ^ Langholm, Dag (1984). Norsk ishockey gjennom 50 år. pp. 59–62.
  5. ^ Langholm, Dag (1984). Norsk ishockey gjennom 50 år. pp. 71–72.
  6. ^ Langholm, Dag (1984). Norsk ishockey gjennom 50 år. pp. 97–101.
  7. ^ Langholm, Dag (1984). Norsk ishockey gjennom 50 år. p. 97.
  8. ^ a b c d Langholm, Dag (1984). Norsk ishockey gjennom 50 år. pp. 105–112.
  9. ^ "2.73 Tore Johannessen". Legends of Hockey. Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  10. ^ a b c Langholm, Dag (1984). Norsk ishockey gjennom 50 år. pp. 115–126.
  11. ^ "Berettning A-Landslaget 1983–1984". Norwegian Ice Hockey Association (in Norwegian). 30 August 2005. Archived from the original on 2 August 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  12. ^ "Seniorlandslagene 1984/1985". Norwegian Ice Hockey Association (in Norwegian). 26 June 2005. Archived from the original on 1 August 2012. Retrieved 9 January 2012.
  13. ^ Steiss, Adam. "2020 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship cancelled". iihf.com. IIHF. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
  14. ^ "Siste test før VM" (in Norwegian). hockey.no. 29 April 2024.
  15. ^ "Team roster: Norway" (PDF). iihf.com. 10 May 2024.
  • Langholm, Dag (1984). Norsk ishockey gjennom 50 år. Norwegian Ice Hockey Association.
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