IZone MenuBar
IIHF Home About the IIHF IIHF Honor Roll Member Countries World Championships Tournaments Olympic Winter Games Pro Classics
Icelander Flag
Iceland
Ice Hockey Iceland
Icelander Federation Logo

  • Incorporated  1987
  • Joined the IIHF  May 6, 1992
  • 606  registered players
  • 3  registered clubs
  • President:  Vidar Gardarsson
National Teams

History
Hockey in Iceland
Hockey in Iceland dates back to 1937. The main hockey playing center was the North Sea port of Akureyri followed by the capital, Reykjavik. The former was the home of Gudmundur Petursson, the "father of hockey" in Iceland. During the late 1930's, the official rules of the game were translated into Icelandic for the first time. Local pick-up games were the only sign of hockey in the country for the next three decades.

Skautefelag Akureyri won the first national championship in 1968-69. However, after two years of national competition, the development of hockey slowed. The Icelandic national championship was revived in 1978-79 but it did not take place every year. Skautefelag Akureyri remained the country's best hockey team. By the 1980's, ice hockey was televised and proved to be very popular throughout the country.

The Icelandic Skating Association, as a part of the of Ithrottasambaud Islands (Sports Union of Iceland), was created in 1987 and included an Ice Hockey Division. Iceland joined the International Ice Hockey Federation on May 6, 1992 and made its debut on the world stage in 1997 when its National Junior Team played at the "D" Pool European Junior Championships. The country recorded its first win at an IIHF tournament by defeating Turkey 4-2 to finish fifth out of six teams. In 1998, Iceland sent a team to the "D" Pool World Junior Championships and in 1999 they debuted in the World Senior Championships where they placed ninth in the "D" Pool.


Back to List of Countries