1947 World Ice Hockey Championships

The 14th Ice Hockey World Championship and 25th European Championship was the first after the Second World War. It was held from 15 to 23 February 1947 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Eight teams participated, but the competition was notably missing the reigning world champion, Canada. The world champion was decided for the first time by round robin league play. Czechoslovakia won the world championship for the first time and the European championship for the seventh time. King Gustav V had sent a telegram of congratulations to the Swedish team after beating the Czechslovaks, unfortunately they had barely finished celebrating when they were upset by the Austrians, costing them the Gold.

Many notable changes were made to the rules for this championship. The game was standardized to be played in three 20 minute periods, aligning with the Canadian practice. The net size was standardized as well. There would be no more one and three minute penalties, and penalty shots were instituted. The Congress in Brussels where all this was decided, also tried to absolve Canada's objections to the definition of what an 'amateur player' was. Canada's absence from the first post WWII games was a combination of this dispute, and a dispute over who was making the decisions (i.e. North America vs. Europe).

Also at issue was which American federation's team was the proper representative, (a dispute that nearly destroyed the following year's Olympic tournament) and how to decide which nations would receive invitations. Japan and Germany were barred from participation, but the IIHF was careful to illustrate that it was the politics, not the people, who were at fault, and allies like Austria and Italy were admitted.

Final standings
World Champion 1947

Czechoslovakia

Final rankings -- European Championship
1947 European Champion

Czechoslovakia

[[canada|🇨🇦]] Canadian participation
The Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) had asked the Calgary Stampeders and the Hamilton Tigers, Allan Cup finalists in the previous year, and the Winnipeg Monarchs and St. Michaels College Majors, Memorial Cup finalists in the previous year, to represent Canada. All four teams turned down the invitation because their leagues' play would suffer during their long absence.

In December the CAHA asked the junior Edmonton Canadians, who had won the Alberta junior hockey title in 1945-46 to make the trip to the World Championship. This would have marked the first time that a junior team would represent Canada. The Canadians and their league, the Edmonton City Junior League agreed.

However, the British Ice Hockey Association, under Bunny Ahearne, refused to guarantee the team's expenses although they did agree to book a tour of Europe for the Canadians.

THe CAHA did not consider this acceptable and pulled out of the championsip.