Finland men's national ice hockey team
Finland is a Big Six nation and 2026 IIHF World Champion.
The Finnish men's national ice hockey team, known as Leijonat (in Finnish) or Lejonen (in Swedish)—both meaning "The Lions"—is run by the Finnish Ice Hockey Association. Finland ranks among the world's most accomplished national teams and is part of the "Big Six," an informal group of the top six men's ice hockey nations, which also includes Canada, the United States, Czechia, Russia, and Sweden. As of 2026, they hold the IIHF World Championship title.
Finland captured the world championship in 2026, marking their fifth title, following earlier wins in 1995, 2011, 2019, and 2022. Before 2022, their best Olympic results were silver medals in 1988 and 2006. That changed at the 2022 Winter Olympics, when they defeated Russia to claim their first Olympic gold. In the Canada/World Cup, their top finish is a silver medal, earned in 2004.
**History**
Finland first competed in an elite international tournament at the 1939 Ice Hockey World Championships in Switzerland, where they tied for last place with Yugoslavia. A decade later, at the 1949 World Championships in Sweden, they finished seventh after winning the consolation round. Their Olympic debut came at the 1952 Winter Games in Oslo.
At the 1974 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships, two players were suspended for doping: Sweden's Ulf Nilsson and Finland's Stig Wetzell, both of whom tested positive for the banned stimulant ephedrine. Nilsson's positive test came after Sweden's 4–1 win over Poland, which was then forfeited to Poland as a 5–0 loss. Wetzell failed his test after Finland's 5–2 victory over Czechoslovakia, resulting in a 5–0 forfeit win for Czechoslovakia. Finland later beat Czechoslovakia again on the final day, which would have secured their first-ever medal, but the points lost from the forfeited game prevented that.
During the 1978–79 season, the Finnish national team played one regular-season game in the World Hockey Association (WHA) against the Edmonton Oilers.
Finland came close to winning its first medal at the 1986 World Championships. They led Sweden 4–2 in the final minute of the medal-round match, but Sweden's Anders "Masken" Carlsson scored to cut the lead to one, then tied the game after a Finnish mistake. The 4–4 draw left Finland in fourth place.
Quick Facts
- Nickname
- Leijonat / Lejonen (The Lions) / «Sisu Team»
- Association
- Finnish Ice Hockey Association
- General Manager
- Jere Lehtinen
- Coach
- Antti Pennanen
- Asst Coach
- Mikko Manner / Ville Peltonen / Jussi Tapola
- Captain
- Aleksander Barkov
- Most Games
- Raimo Helminen (331)
- Top Scorer
- Lasse Oksanen (71)
- Most Points
- Raimo Helminen (207)
- Iihf Code
- FIN
- Iihf Max
- 1
- Iihf Max Date
- 2022
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Finland's first appearance in an elite ice hockey competition was at the 1939 Ice Hockey World Championships in Switzerland, where they shared last place with Yugoslavia. Ten years later, at the 1949 World Championships in Sweden, they finished 7th by winning the consolation round. Their first Winter Olympics appearance was in 1952 in Oslo. In the 1974 World Championships, Finnish player Stig Wetzell was suspended for doping after failing a test for ephedrine, causing Finland's win over Czechoslovakia to be forfeited; Finland later defeated Czechoslovakia again but missed their first medal due to the lost points. Finland was close to a medal at the 1986 World Championships, leading Sweden 4–2 in the final minute before a draw left them in fourth place. Their first World Championship medal came as a surprise silver in 1992, following a silver at the 1988 Calgary Olympics. Finland won their first gold at the 1995 World Championships, defeating Sweden 4–1 in the final after Ville Peltonen's natural hat-trick in the first period. At the 1998 Olympics, they won bronze in the first tournament with NHL players. They won silver at the 2006 Olympics and bronze at the 2006 World Championship. In 2007, they lost the World Championship final to Canada 4–2. They won bronze at the 2008 World Championship and at the 2010 Olympics, where Teemu Selänne became the all-time Olympic points leader. Finland won their second world title in 2011, beating Sweden 6–1. They won their third world title in 2019, reached the 2021 final (losing to Canada in overtime), and in 2022 won Olympic gold (defeating Russia) and their fourth World Championship (beating Canada in overtime), becoming the second team to win both in the same year. They won their fifth world title in 2026.
Reader's Guide
Finland's significance in international ice hockey stems from its consistent rise from a last-place debut in 1939 to a member of the Big Six. The article highlights key milestones: the 1995 World Championship gold was their first, achieved with a dominant final performance against Sweden. The 2022 Olympic gold, their first, came after decades of silver medals (1988, 2006) and bronze (1998, 2010). That same year, they won the World Championship, making them the second team after Sweden (2006) to win both Olympic and World Championship gold in the same year. Their 2026 World Championship title is their fifth. The article also notes their silver medal at the 2004 Canada/World Cup. Finland's legacy includes producing standout players like Teemu Selänne, who led the 1998 Olympics in goals and points and became the all-time Olympic points leader in 2010. The team's history includes near-misses, such as the 1986 draw with Sweden that cost them a medal, and the 2007 final loss to Canada. Their 2022 Olympic gold allowed them to rise to first in the IIHF World Ranking for the first time.
Did You Know?
- Finland's first elite competition was the 1939 World Championships, where they shared last place with Yugoslavia.
- Finnish player Stig Wetzell was suspended for doping at the 1974 World Championships, causing a forfeited win over Czechoslovakia.
- Teemu Selänne became the all-time Olympic points leader during the 2010 Winter Olympics.
- Finland became the second team to win Olympic gold and World Championship gold in the same year (2022), following Sweden in 2006.
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