It’s springtime in Europe, and hope springs eternal among international hockey fans. Sweden hasn’t won an IIHF World Championship medal since earning back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018. But Tre Kronor has brought a strong roster, including blue line legends like Victor Hedman and Erik Karlsson, for this year’s tournament in Czechia, and debuts in first place in our first Power Rankings.

The defending champion Canadians – featuring Connor Bedard, the inaugural IIHF Male Player of the Year award winner – are right behind Sweden. And the U.S., blessed with leadership and skill in young talents like Brady Tkachuk and Cole Caufield, sits in third place. Let the battle for the medals and Power Rankings glory begin!

1		SWE	Ig-Norris at your peril
2		CAN	Needs to get younger – where’s McKenna?
3		USA	Could our city of bronze be our city of gold?
4		FIN	Stars are overrated (cough-Sweden-cough)
5		SUI	In the 2010’s, we were known as “Silverland”
6		GER	No one beats us in a silver medal game
7		CZE	Life would be more fun if the Leafs had won
8		SVK	Just casually bringing our Olympic MVP
9		LAT	Elvis is alive and living in Ostrava
10		DEN	Nice guys, try hard, fewer Cups than Kessel
11		NOR	Thoresen also sailed to America in 1000 AD
12		FRA	We’re safe (GB’s in the other group)
13		KAZ	The most outstanding Stan
14		AUT	Quarter-finals sound stressful
15		GBR	Odds of being crowned > Harry’s
16		POL	Can Lewandowski skate?

Click here to check out the previous editions of the Power Rankings.

The Power Rankings are for the enjoyment of IIHF.com readers, and reflect the progress of teams during the IIHF Ice Hockey Men's World Championship. They are distinct from the official standings and IIHF Men's World Ranking.