PyeongChang 2018: Para ice hockey seedings and groups revealed

No.1 seed Canada in Group A while defending champions USA head Group B 29 Nov 2017

A group of Para ice hockey players celebrating.

Canada celebrating their gold at the 2017 World Para Ice Hockey Championships

ⒸSeokyong Lee/POCOG

By IPC

World Para Ice Hockey has announced the team seedings and groups for the PyeongChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games, which are exactly 100 days away on 9 March.

Canada have earned the No. 1 seed after defeating reigning Paralympic champions the USA in the gold medal game at the 2017 World Para Ice Hockey Championships A-Pool in April in Gangneung, South Korea. The Sochi 2014 bronze medallists will headline Group A, which features No. 4 seed Norway and No. 5 Italy. Sweden claimed the last spot available in PyeongChang after finishing third in October’s Qualification Tournament, and complete Group A with the eighth seed.

Defending champions and No. 2 seed USA head up Group B. Joining them are Paralympics hosts South Korea, who earned the No. 3 seed after defeating Norway for the bronze medal in Gangneung. The Czech Republic will be in PyeongChang as the No. 6 seed, having secured their place after going undefeated at the Qualification Tournament in Ostersund, Sweden. No. 7 seed Japan round off Group B after also securing their spot in March at Ostersund 2017.

PyeongChang 2018 seedings

1. Canada

2. USA

3. South Korea

4. Norway

5. Italy

6. Czech Republic

7. Japan

8. Sweden

Group A

Canada

Norway