Ahearne Cup

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.

The original Ahearne Cup
The original Ahearne Cup was held in Sweden 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.

The new Ahearne Cup
The new Ahearne Cup was created to promote interest in the British Ice Hockey Superleague. 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.

1952

 * 1) Canada 6 pts
 * 2) Sweden 3 pts
 * 3) Stockholm Lions 2 pts
 * 4) United States 1 pt

1953
Harringay Racers won

1954
Harringay Racers won

1955
Nottingham Panthers won

1956
Soviet Union won

1957
Not played

1958

 * 1) Harringay Racers 4 pts
 * 2) Gavle 2 pts
 * 3) Djurgardens IF 0 pts

1959

 * 1) Wembley Lions 6 pts
 * 2) Krylya Sovetov Moscow 6 pts
 * 3) Djurgardens IF 4 pts
 * 4) Sodertalje SK 2 pts
 * 5) Gavle 2 pts

1960

 * 1) Djurgardens IF 4 pts
 * 2) Sodertalje SK 2 pts
 * 3) Wembley Lions 0 pts

1961

 * 1) Krylya Sovetov Moscow 8 pts
 * 2) Djurgardens IF 6 pts
 * 3) RH Brno 4 pts
 * 4) Leksands IF 2 pts
 * 5) Sodertalje SK 0 pts

1962

 * 1) Port Arthur Bearcats 8 pts
 * 2) Djurgardens IF 6 pts
 * 3) RH Brno 4 pts
 * 4) Sodertalje SK 2 pts
 * 5) Vastra Frolunda 0 pts

1963

 * 1) Djurgardens IF 6 pts
 * 2) Sodertalje SK 6 pts
 * 3) Spartak Plzen 4 pts
 * 4) Dukla Jihlava 3 pts
 * 5) Vastra Frolunda 1 pt

1964

 * 1) Soviet Union B 8 pts
 * 2) AIK IF 3 pts
 * 3) Sodertalje SK 3 pts
 * 4) Finland B 3 pts
 * 5) Djurgardens IF 3 pts

1965

 * 1) Brynas IF 4-0-1-8 35-18
 * 2) Soviet Juniors 4-0-1-8 18-14
 * 3) Leksands IF 2-0-3-4 16-21
 * 4) Lacombe Rockets 2-0-3-4 16-16
 * 5) Djurgardens IF 2-0-3-4 23-24
 * 6) Sodertalje SK 1-0-4-2 21-36

1966

 * 1) Sherbrooke Castors 8 pts
 * 2) Sodertalje SK 6 pts
 * 3) Leksands IF 6 pts
 * 4) Djurgardens IF 4 pts

1967
Group A Group B Final
 * 1) Sodertalje SK 9 pts
 * 2) AIK Solna 7 pts
 * 3) Soviet Juniors 6 pts
 * 4) Vasteras 2 pts
 * 1) Leksands IF 8 pts
 * 2) Brynas IK 6 pts
 * 3) Djurgardens IF 5 pts
 * 4) Drumheller Miners 3 pts
 * Leksands IF 11 Sodertalje SK 5

1968

 * 1) Krylya Sovetov Moscow 9 pts
 * 2) Drummondville 7 pts
 * 3) Sodertalje SK 6 pts
 * 4) Leksands IF 6 pts
 * 5) Djurgarden IF 5 pts
 * 6) Farjestads BK 5 pts
 * 7) AIK IF 4 pts

1969

 * 1) Djurgardens IF 10 pts
 * 2) Sodertalje SK 10 pts
 * 3) AIK IF 7 pts
 * 4) HIFK Helsinki 6 pts
 * 5) Sparta Prague 4 pts
 * 6) Victoriaville 3 pts
 * 7) Leksands IF 2 pts

1970

 * 1) HIFK Helsinki 12 pts
 * 2) Spartak Moscow 12 pts
 * 3) Sodertalje SK 8 pts
 * 4) Leksands IF 6 pts
 * 5) Sparta Prague 6 pts
 * 6) AIK IF 4 pts
 * 7) Djurgardens IF 4 pts
 * 8) Farjestads BK 4 pts

1971

 * 1) Spartak Moscow 13 pts
 * 2) Leksands IF 10 pts
 * 3) Djurgardens IF 7 pts
 * 4) Skoda Plzen 7 pts
 * 5) AIK IF 6 pts
 * 6) HIFK Helsinki 5 pts
 * 7) Farjestads BK 4 pts
 * 8) Sodertalje SK 4 pts

1972

 * 1) Spartak Moscow 12 pts
 * 2) Sodertalje SK 11 pts
 * 3) Leksands IF 8 pts
 * 4) Galt Hornets 8 pts
 * 5) AIK IF 6 pts
 * 6) Djurgardens IF 6 pts
 * 7) Farjestads BK 4 pts
 * 8) HIFK Helsinki 0 pts

1973

 * 1) Spartak Moscow 12 pts
 * 2) Leksands IF 8 pts
 * 3) Sodertalje SK 6 pts
 * 4) HIFK Helsinki 6 pts
 * 5) Djurgardens IF 6 pts
 * 6) AIK IF 6 pts
 * 7) Columbia Totems 0 pts

1974

 * 1) Djurgardens IF 10 pts
 * 2) Dynamo Moscow 9 pts
 * 3) Leksands IF 8 pts
 * 4) Lion Londres 7 pts
 * 5) Sodertalje SK 5 pts
 * 6) AIK IF 2 pts
 * 7) Regina Pats 1 pt

1975

 * 1) Dynamo Moscow 3-2-0-8 17-12
 * 2) Sparta Prague 3-1-1-7 20-17
 * 3) Sodertalje SK 3-0-2-6 23-18
 * 4) Leksands IF 2-1-2-5 21-19
 * 5) AIK Solna 1-1-3-3 20-25
 * 6) Djurgardens IF 0-1-4-1 20-25

1976

 * 1) Dynamo Moscow 5-0-0-10 34-14
 * 2) Sparta Prague 3-1-1-7 26-22
 * 3) Sodertalje SK 1-3-1-5 22-21
 * 4) AIK Solna 2-1-2-5 17-15
 * 5) Djurgardens IF 1-0-4-2 21-33
 * 6) Hammarby IF 0-1-4-1 13-26

1977

 * 1) AIK Solna 8 pts
 * 2) Dynamo Moscow 6 pts
 * 3) Djurgardens IF 3 pts
 * 4) Sodertalje SK 3 pts
 * 5) HIFK Helsinki 0 pts