Ahearne Cup
Encyclopedia
Ahearne Cup is the name of two ice hockey
tournaments, the first played from 1952 to 1977 and the second created in 2001. Both are named after British
ice hockey promoter, J. F. "Bunny" Ahearne.
annually from 1952 to 1977, with the exception of 1957, with the finals at Johanneshovs Isstadion
in Stockholm
, and co-arranged by newspaper Dagens Nyheter
. It was held in December and open to both club teams and national teams, although national teams seldom competed. While most teams were from Sweden, many teams from Great Britain
, the Soviet Union
, Czechoslovakia
, Canada
and Finland
also competed. The record for most tournaments attended is shared between Swedish teams Södertälje SK
and Djurgårdens IF
, both with 20 entries, followed by Leksands IF
and AIK with 12 each. Djurgården also has the record for most wins, four, while Harringay Racers
and Spartak Moscow
won the tournament three times each.
For many Swedes, this tournament was the first meeting with North American playing style, represented by Canadian amateur teams and British teams filled with Canadians. However, as professional hockey evolved in North America, the transatlantic amateur teams became both less competitive and less interested in joining European tournaments of this kind. The resulting downturn in public interest, together with tougher playing schedules in the European leagues, led to the cancellation of the tournament.
. It was played in 2002 between teams from the ISL and teams from the Deutsche Eishockey Liga and in 2003 between British and Norwegian
teams. It was again played for in 2006 between British and German teams, this time with the British teams coming from the Elite Ice Hockey League
.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
tournaments, the first played from 1952 to 1977 and the second created in 2001. Both are named after British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
ice hockey promoter, J. F. "Bunny" Ahearne.
The original Ahearne Cup
The original Ahearne Cup was held in SwedenSweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
annually from 1952 to 1977, with the exception of 1957, with the finals at Johanneshovs Isstadion
Hovet
Hovet , formerly known as Johanneshovs Isstadion, is an arena in Stockholm mainly used for ice hockey, concerts and corporate events. It was opened in 1955 as an outdoor arena. A roof was added in 1962, and the arena interior has also been a subject to major renovation in 2002. The arenas main...
in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, and co-arranged by newspaper Dagens Nyheter
Dagens Nyheter
is a daily newspaper in Sweden. It has the largest circulation of Swedish morning newspapers, followed by Göteborgs-Posten and Svenska Dagbladet, and is the only morning newspaper that is distributed to subscribers across the whole country. In 2009 DN had a circulation of 316,000, reaching 881...
. It was held in December and open to both club teams and national teams, although national teams seldom competed. While most teams were from Sweden, many teams from Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
also competed. The record for most tournaments attended is shared between Swedish teams Södertälje SK
Södertälje SK
Södertälje Sportklubb is a Swedish professional ice hockey club playing in HockeyAllsvenskan. Södertälje were charter members of Elitserien when the league was founded in 1975 and have since played 24 seasons in the league...
and Djurgårdens IF
Djurgårdens IF Hockey
Djurgårdens IF Hockey are a professional ice hockey team based in Stockholm, Sweden. They are the ice hockey department of the sports club Djurgårdens IF. The department was formed in 1922 with the help of Wilhelm Arwe and have since then become Sweden's most successful team, having won the Swedish...
, both with 20 entries, followed by Leksands IF
Leksands IF
Leksands Idrottsförening is a Swedish ice hockey team from the town of Leksand in the region of Dalarna. The team is currently playing in the second highest league in Sweden, HockeyAllsvenskan. Leksand has played 53 seasons in the top Swedish league – between 1951 to 2001, 2002 to 2004, and 2005–06...
and AIK with 12 each. Djurgården also has the record for most wins, four, while Harringay Racers
Harringay Racers
Harringay Racers was a British ice hockey club based in Harringay, England.The side was founded in 1936 and initially played alongside Harringay Greyhounds at the Harringay Arena. Both sides entered the English National League, which Racers won in 1937/8. After a break during World War II, the...
and Spartak Moscow
HC Spartak Moscow
HC Spartak is a professional ice hockey team based in Moscow, Russia. They are members of the Bobrov Division of the Kontinental Hockey League .-History:One of the sections of the Spartak Moscow sports club, HC Spartak Moscow was established in 1946...
won the tournament three times each.
For many Swedes, this tournament was the first meeting with North American playing style, represented by Canadian amateur teams and British teams filled with Canadians. However, as professional hockey evolved in North America, the transatlantic amateur teams became both less competitive and less interested in joining European tournaments of this kind. The resulting downturn in public interest, together with tougher playing schedules in the European leagues, led to the cancellation of the tournament.
Winners
|
 Krylya Sovetov Moscow Port Arthur Bear Cats Djurgårdens IF Soviet Union Brynäs IFBrynäs IF Brynäs IF is a professional Swedish ice hockey team from Gävle. The club plays in the highest Swedish league , and has done so since 1960.-History:... Sherbrooke CastorsSherbrooke Castors The Sherbrooke Castors or Sherbrooke Beavers was the name of two different junior ice hockey teams in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Both franchises played at the Palais des Sports in Sherbrooke, Quebec.-Original Castors:... Leksands IFLeksands IF Leksands Idrottsförening is a Swedish ice hockey team from the town of Leksand in the region of Dalarna. The team is currently playing in the second highest league in Sweden, HockeyAllsvenskan. Leksand has played 53 seasons in the top Swedish league – between 1951 to 2001, 2002 to 2004, and 2005–06... Krylya Sovetov Moscow Djurgårdens IF |
 Spartak MoscowSpartak Moscow Spartak Moscow may refer to the following teams based in Moscow, Russia:* FC Spartak Moscow, an association football club* HC Spartak Moscow, a professional ice hockey team* WBC Spartak Moscow, a women's basketball team... Spartak Moscow Spartak Moscow Djurgårdens IF Dynamo MoscowDynamo Moscow Dynamo Moscow may refer to one of the following Dynamo sports clubs in Moscow. In Soviet time all of them were parts of the All-Union Dynamo Sports Club.*FC Dynamo Moscow, a football club*HC Dynamo Moscow, a former ice hockey club... Dynamo Moscow AIK Solna |
The new Ahearne Cup
The new Ahearne Cup was created to promote interest in the British Ice Hockey SuperleagueIce Hockey Superleague
The Ice Hockey Superleague was a professional ice hockey league in the United Kingdom between 1996 and 2003. Formed in 1995, it replaced the Premier Division of the British Hockey League, it was the highest level of ice hockey competition in the United Kingdom...
. It was played in 2002 between teams from the ISL and teams from the Deutsche Eishockey Liga and in 2003 between British and Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
teams. It was again played for in 2006 between British and German teams, this time with the British teams coming from the Elite Ice Hockey League
Elite Ice Hockey League
Several competitions fall under the jurisdiction of the Elite League. In 2006–07, the EIHL ran a total of four competitions: the league, playoffs, Challenge Cup and Knockout Cup. The league consists of a single division, each team playing three home games and three away games against the other...
.