Spengler Cup
 |
This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2008) |
| Most recent season or competition: 2011 Spengler Cup |
|
 Spengler Cup logo |
|
| Sport | Ice Hockey |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1923 |
| Inaugural season | 1923 |
| No. of teams | 6 (group stage) |
| Country(ies) | Switzerland (usually HC Davos), Canada, Russia, Germany, Czech Republic, Sweden, various other European countries |
| Venue(s) | Vaillant Arena (Davos, Switzerland) |
| Most recent champion(s) |  HC Davos (15) |
| Most titles | HC Davos (15) |
| Qualification | Invitation only |
| TV partner(s) | SUI: Schweizer Fernsehen Europe: Eurosport 2 RUS: RTR Sport CAN: TSN CZE: Nova Sport |
| Founder | Dr. Carl Spengler |
| Official website | www.spenglercup.ch |
The Spengler Cup is an annual ice hockey tournament held in Davos, Switzerland. First held in 1923, the Spengler Cup is often cited as the oldest invitational ice hockey tournament in the world. The event is hosted by the Swiss team HC Davos and played each year in Davos, Switzerland, between Christmas (December 25) and New Year's Day. All the matches are played in the Vaillant Arena.
It was originally devised by Dr. Carl Spengler as a means to promote teams from German-speaking Europe, who might have suffered ostracism in the aftermath of World War I. Eventually, the tournament grew well beyond expectations. Many of Europe's most prestigious clubs and national programs have appeared, including Soviet, Swedish and Czechoslovak powerhouses.
Among non-European organizations, Team Canada, Team USA, nationally ranked NCAA schools, reigning Calder Cup and Ontario Hockey Association champions, and even Team Japan (in 1971 as hosts of the upcoming Sapporo Winter Olympics) have traveled to Davos through the years.
HC Davos – reinforced with Robbie Earl (EC Salzburg), Reto Berra (EHC Biel), Janne Niinimaa and Pavel Brendl (SC Rapperswil-Jona) – won the 2011 edition, beating KHL team Dinamo Riga 3-2 in the final.
The Spengler Cup is broadcast on Schweizer Fernsehen in Switzerland, on Eurosport 2 in most of Europe, on RTR Sport in Russia, on Nova Sport in the Czech Republic and on TSN in Canada.
Contents |
[edit] History
The Cup was first awarded in 1923 to the Oxford University Ice Hockey Club, composed of Canadian students.[1] The tournament was then dominated by Czechoslovak and Soviet teams between 1965 and 1983. In 1984 Team Canada began participating and has since won the Cup eleven times. Team Canada is predominantly made up of Canadians playing in Europe, as well as American Hockey League prospects. Notable free agents (like veteran goaltender Curtis Joseph) or coaches without an NHL contract have also used the Spengler Cup to keep their name around.
From its inception until 1978, the tournament was played on an outdoor rink. The outdoor rink still exists outside the indoor arena, and is one of the largest outdoor rinks in the world. Starting in 1978, all tournament games have been played indoors. In 1956 the championship trophy was given a new look that still stands today.
[edit] Temporary reinforcements
A frequent point of contention among hockey observers discussing the Spengler Cup's relevance is the use of temporary reinforcements. Since the tournament is open to both clubs and national teams, a rule exists that allows club teams to hire up to 4 additional players (3 skaters and 1 goaltender) for the duration of the competition. Prior to the 2010 edition, 6 reinforcement players (5 skaters and 1 goaltender) were allowed per team. In practice, not all participants choose to take advantage of the rule to the same extent, and it works mostly to the host team's benefit. HC Davos, for whom the event is a significant source of income, tends to upgrade its roster with experienced talent in order to guarantee a competitive performance and maintain high interest from the Swiss audience. Other teams don't have such incentives to reinforce their squad and will often be much less selective.
[edit] Trophy
The current cup consists of a golden globe supported by silver hockey sticks on a round base. The trophy is named after the founder Dr. Carl Spengler of Davos.
[edit] Spengler Cup winners
- 1 Oxford University and LTC Prague play 0-0 after overtime. Both teams are declared winners.
- 2 Cup not held due to World War II.
- 3 Cup not held.
- 4 Cup not held.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ The Isis, 23 Jan. 1924, page 19. (Future Prime Minister of Canada Lester Pearson was a member of the Oxford University team in the spring of 1923; however, he returned to Canada in the summer of 1923 and therefore did not compete in the first Spengler Cup played at the end of December 1923 and early January 1924. See: Pearson, Lester B. Mike : The Memoirs of the Right Honourable Lester B. Pearson. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1972, page 50.)
- ^ SpenglerCup.ch
[edit] External links
|
|||||
|
||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||
