European Trophy (previously named Nordic Trophy between 2006 and 2009) is an annually held ice hockey tournament, traditionally composed of teams from the higher-level ice hockey leagues in countries across Europe. It's generally considered to be a pre-season tournament, although some games are played mid-season. With 32 participating teams from seven different countries as of 2012, the European Trophy is currently the biggest active ice hockey tournament in Europe.
Sweden and Finland have always participated, and they were the only two countries participating when the tournament was named "Nordic Trophy". The tournament began in 2006 under the name "Nordic Trophy" with eight teams, four from Sweden and four from Finland. In 2010, several teams from other European countries agreed to join the tournament, which changed name to its current name European Trophy as a result. Since the tournament's inauguration in 2006, eight countries have been represented: Sweden, Finland, Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia, Switzerland, and Norway. No team has ever won the tournament more than one time.
Read more about European Trophy: Teams, Tournament Structure, Winners
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