Explanation
The ranking is based primarily on the annual World Championship and the Olympic Games. For men, the system reflects differences in the strength of international tournaments based on the availability of the world's leading NHL players, with events featuring unrestricted NHL participation carrying a higher point value.
The ranking also includes other major tournaments featuring NHL players, most notably the historic Canada Cup, the World Cup of Hockey, and the 4 Nations Face-Off. The women's ranking is based primarily on the Olympic Games and the World Championship, complemented by selected historically significant international competitions.
The ranking also includes other major tournaments featuring NHL players, most notably the historic Canada Cup, the World Cup of Hockey, and the 4 Nations Face-Off. The women's ranking is based primarily on the Olympic Games and the World Championship, complemented by selected historically significant international competitions.
Scoring system
| Contest | Discipline | Category | Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | with NHL-Players | Men | 1998-2026 | 25 | 15 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Olympic Games | w/o NHL players | Men | 1920-2022 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Canadian Cup | with NHL-Players | Men | 1976-1991 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | |||
| World Cup | with NHL-Players | Men | 1996-2016 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 | |||
| World Championship | w/o NHL players | Men | 1920-2026 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||
| 4 Nations Face-Off | with NHL-Players | Men | 2025-2025 | 5 | 3 | 1 | |||||
| Summit Series | with NHL-Players | Men | 1972-1972 | 3 | |||||||
| Olympic Games | Women | 1998-2026 | 16 | 10 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| World Championship | Women | 1990-2025 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| World Tournament | Women | 1987-1987 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| 4 Nations Cup | Women | 1996-2018 | 2 | 1 |
