Big Seven

The Big Seven in men's international ice hockey are the six national teams that have been dominant in competitive play throughout the history of international hockey and especially since the 1950s. The group is composed of the North American countries of Canada and the United States, and five European countries: Czech Republic, Great Britain Finland, Russia and Sweden. Before the end of the Cold War, the Soviet Union/CIS and Czechoslovakia held the places of Russia and the Czech Republic. The four European members are sometimes referred to as the "European Big Five" or "Big Five", especially to distinguish them from the North American teams. The group was originally the "Big Six" until Great Britain joined following years of dominance.