HELSINKI – The 2012 IIHF World Ranking is known already before Sunday’s gold medal game. It determines the groups for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. Host Russia enters the competitions in number-one position.

Click here for the 2012 IIHF World Ranking.

Although the final points for the four teams involved in the medal games on Sunday are yet to be determined in the games for the gold and bronze medals, the outcome won’t change the positions of the teams in the new 2012 IIHF World Ranking.

The new ranking includes the results of the 2009-2012 World Championships and the 2010 Olympics, with higher value put on the most recent tournaments.

Russia defended its 2011 top position because it advanced to the gold medal game while sending its closest follower, Finland, to the bronze medal game. The Czech Republic improved from fifth to third place by making the semi-finals at the expense of Sweden (4th) and Canada (5th), which both lost one place.

Slovakia’s gold medal game appearance is behind their impressive move from 10th to 6th place. Thanks to the top-9 position, the Slovaks earn a bye to the 2014 Olympics as do the United States (7th), Norway (8th) and Switzerland (9th).

The other teams will have to battle for the three remaining slots of the men’s ice hockey tournament in Sochi 2014 through qualification tournaments. Germany (10th), Latvia (11th) and Denmark (12th) earned the right to host one of the Final Olympic Qualification events in February 2013.

At the Sochi Olympics, host nation Russia will face Slovakia, the United States and the third-best ranked qualifier in its preliminary-round group.

Click here for more information on the men’s and women’s ice hockey tournaments at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games and the qualification tournaments.

Note: The groups for the 2013 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship in Stockholm and Helsinki were announced on Sunday (see separate news).
  <table width="310"> <tbody><tr><td colspan="3">2014 Olympic Winter Games</td></tr> <tr><td colspan="3"> </td></tr> <tr><td>Group A</td><td>Group B</td><td>Group C</td></tr> <tr><td>Russia (1)</td><td>Finland (2)</td><td>Czech Rep. (3)</td></tr> <tr><td>Slovakia (6)</td><td>Canada (5)</td><td>Sweden (4)</td></tr> <tr><td>USA (7)</td><td>Norway (8)</td><td>Switzerland (9)</td></tr> <tr><td>Qualifier 3</td><td>Qualifier 2</td><td>Qualifier 1</td></tr> </tbody></table>