Canadian Olympic Hockey 

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Early Domination

Canada boasts a long and proud history when it comes to the Olympic Games. It all began in 1928 when Canada, represented by the Toronto Varsity Grads, clinched the first Olympic hockey tournament, outscoring their European opponents 38-0. Canada won its second straight gold in 1932, courtesy of the Winnipeg Hockey Club.

Canada officially missed out on the gold in 1936. However, it could be argued that Canada was tops again, as the majority of the gold-medal Great Britain team had been stacked with players of British origin who had been raised and trained in Canada.

The Second World War caused a 12-year break between Olympic tournaments but, once the games returned following the war, Canada regained its place at the podium when, represented by the RCAF Flyers of Ottawa, Canada won the gold in 1948. Czechoslovakia had the same record as Canada but settled for silver on account of Canada’s better goal differential. Still, the Czechs’ strong showing was proof of their progress.

In 1952, the Edmonton Mercurys won Canada’s fifth Olympic gold. The Canadians wouldn’t win another until 2002.

Not just Canada’s game

In 1956, the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen represented Canada. The Dutchmen would settle for bronze after losing to both the U.S. and Soviet Union. The Soviets went undefeated en route to the gold, setting the tone for future dominance.

In 1960, the United States captured its first Olympic gold medal in Squaw Valley, California. Canada, represented again by the Dutchmen, lost only to the Americans and only won a silver medal for their hard work.

Canada would soon realize that club teams were no longer appropriate for the international stage. It was also time to acknowledge hockey’s improvement in Europe.

Finally, Canada sent a true national team to the 1964 Olympics. Though players would come and go, this national team would represent Canada for six years. The Canadians finished the 1964 tourney with a 5-2 record, as did Czechoslovakia and Sweden. Canada thought it had won bronze by virtue of having a better goal differential than Sweden. But 10 minutes before the medal presentations, tournament officials overruled a pre-arranged tie-breaking formula that dropped Canada into fourth place. The Soviet Union won gold.

Canada avenged those misfortunes by winning bronze at the 1968 event. The Soviets claimed their second straight gold medal.

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