What Is 2019-20 Women's Euro Hockey Tour

Overview

The 2019–20 Women's Euro Hockey Tour was an elite international ice hockey competition featuring top national women's teams across Europe. Designed to strengthen preparation for the Winter Olympics and IIHF World Championships, the tour provided high-level competition outside official IIHF events.

Running from August 2019 through February 2020, the tour consisted of four separate tournaments hosted in Sweden, Finland, and Switzerland. The event brought together national teams from Canada, Finland, Sweden, and Switzerland in a series of round-robin and ranking games.

• Five tournaments were originally scheduled, but one was canceled due to the emerging global health situation by early 2020, reducing the final count to four completed events.
• Each tournament featured a four-team round-robin format, with teams earning points based on wins, losses, and overtime results.
• The first event, the Nation's Cup, took place in Linköping, Sweden, from August 28 to September 1, 2019, setting the tone for the season.
• Subsequent tournaments included the Russia Series in Finland and the Swiss Ice Games in Lucerne, culminating in the final event in February 2020.
• Final standings were determined by cumulative points across all tournaments, with Canada finishing first overall despite not winning every individual event.

How It Works

The Women's Euro Hockey Tour operates as a seasonal series of invitational tournaments, allowing teams to compete in structured, high-intensity games outside the IIHF calendar. Each stop includes shared officiating, standardized rules, and ranking systems to ensure consistency.

• Format: Each tournament follows a round-robin structure where all four teams play each other once, with points awarded for wins and overtime outcomes.
• Scoring System: Teams earn 3 points for a regulation win, 2 for an overtime win, 1 for an overtime loss, and 0 for a regulation loss.
• Host Rotation: Host nations rotate annually, with Sweden, Finland, and Switzerland each hosting at least one event during the 2019–20 season.
• Team Participation:Canada joined as a guest nation, while Finland, Sweden, and Switzerland were permanent participants in the series.
• Player Eligibility: Only players registered with their national ice hockey federation and cleared for international play were allowed to compete.
• Final Standings: An aggregate points table was compiled at the end of the tour to determine the overall champion.

Comparison at a Glance

Below is a comparison of team performance across the four tournaments of the 2019–20 Women's Euro Hockey Tour:

The table highlights Canada’s dominance in the series, accumulating the most wins and points despite close competition from Finland. Sweden and Switzerland showed improvement in later tournaments, particularly in defensive play and power-play efficiency, but lacked consistency compared to the top two teams.

Why It Matters

The 2019–20 Women's Euro Hockey Tour played a critical role in advancing women's professional hockey by offering consistent, high-level competition ahead of major international events. It helped national programs evaluate talent, test strategies, and build team cohesion in a structured format.

• Development Platform: The tour served as a key development tool for emerging players from Sweden and Switzerland aiming to close the gap with North American teams.
• Olympic Preparation: With the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics on the horizon, teams used the tour to fine-tune line combinations and defensive systems.
• Exposure and Visibility: Increased media coverage and live streaming helped boost the visibility of women's hockey across Europe and North America.
• Competitive Balance: The inclusion of Canada raised the competitive standard, pushing European teams to improve their pace and physical play.
• Player Evaluation: Coaches used tournament performances to select rosters for World Championships and other IIHF-sanctioned events.
• Pathway to Professionalism: The tour contributed to the growth of professional women's leagues by showcasing elite talent and encouraging investment.

Ultimately, the 2019–20 Women's Euro Hockey Tour demonstrated the rising quality and global interest in women's ice hockey, setting a benchmark for future international collaboration and competition.