Ice hockey at the 2018 Winter Olympics – Men's qualification


Qualification for the men's tournament at the 2018 Winter Olympics was determined by the IIHF World Ranking following the 2015 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships. The host along with the top eight teams in the world ranking received automatic berths into the Olympics, while all other teams had an opportunity to qualify for the remaining three spots in the Olympics. This was the fourth time world rankings were used but the first time that the championships three years prior was used as the final determination.

Qualified teams

;Notes

Qualification seeding

To qualify directly, a nation had to be ranked in the top eight following the 2015 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships. Using the IIHF World Ranking points system, the current year received full value, and each preceding year was worth 25% less. Teams that wished to compete had to apply in April 2015. The following is a ranking based on points already accumulated toward Olympic qualification of all countries participating in 2015.
Points were earned based on overall finish in 2015:
Place1234567891011121314151617181920...
Points12001160112011001060104010201000960940920900880860840820800780760740...

Qualified directly to Olympic Tournament
Entered qualifying in the [|final round]
Entered qualifying in the [|preliminary round 2]
Entered qualifying in the [|preliminary round 1]

Qualifying seedTeamWC 2015WC 2014OLY 2014WC 2013WC 2012Total
112007959005302653690
211609007955203003675
310608408706002603630
410408708405502753575
511207808255602553540
611008257805102803495
710007057205802303235
89607206905002903160
910207656454302153075
108806907504602353015
119206756754702502990
129007506004402402930
139406456304802252920
148206007654102002795
158606605854502202775
168405857054201952745
178006156604002052680
187206306153902102565
197805405253801902415
207405704803701852345
217005555403401752310
227605105103301652275
Hosts6805254953601702230
236604655703501802225
245804505553201602065
256404804653001502035
266204954052801301930
275604354353101551895
286004204202901401870
295203903752401201645
305003304502301351645
31400315390200951400
32360345360220901375
54036002701101280
3348040502601251270
46037502501451230
42030002101151045
3444028501901051020
353802400170100890
340270016085855
300255018080815
320225015075770
280210014070700
22018001100510
362401650900495
260195000455
2000000200

The two lowest ranked participants played off for the right to compete in this round on 10 October 2015, in Sofia, Bulgaria. The round itself was played from 5 to 8 November 2015. The winner of each group advanced to the pre-qualification tournaments as qualifiers seven and eight ranked according their seeding.

Playoff game

Group K

Games were played at Tallinn, Estonia.
All times are local.

Group L

Games were played in Valdemoro, Spain.
All times are local.

Preliminary round 2

Three round robins were played from 11 to 14 February 2016. The teams seeded 18th, 19th, and 20th reserved the right to host these tournaments. The winners of each advanced to the final qualification tournaments as qualifiers four, five, and six, ranked according to their seeding.

Group G

Games were played at Cortina, Italy.
All times are local.

Group H

Games were played at the László Papp Budapest Sports Arena at Budapest, Hungary.
All times are local.

Group J

Games were played in Sapporo, Japan.
All times are local.

Final qualification

Three round robins were played from 1 to 4 September 2016. The teams seeded 9th, 10th, and 11th reserved the right to host these tournaments. The top two seeded group winners qualified for the Olympic tournament Group C, and the third seeded group winner qualified for Group B.

Group D

Games were played in Minsk, Belarus.
All times are local.

Group E

Games were played in Riga, Latvia.
All times are local.

Group F

Games were played in Oslo, Norway.
All times are local.