Canada in a league of their own
The USA’s inability to raise a men’s ice hockey team for St Moritz 1928 meant they missed the competition for the first and only time in their history. Meanwhile, northern neighbours Canada were represented by graduates from the University of Toronto, who earned their ticket to the Games by winning the Allan Cup, the Canadian amateur championship.
As the winners of the two previous Olympic ice hockey tournaments (at the 1920 Summer Games in Antwerp and the inaugural Winter Games in Chamonix four years later), Canada were given a bye to the final four-team round, with the ten other teams being drawn into three first-round pools, the winners of which would go forward to contest the medals with the Canadians.
Great Britain, Sweden and Switzerland were the three sides in question, but were no match for the reigning two-time champions, who beat the Swedes 11-0, GB 14-0 and the Swiss 13-0 to cruise to a third consecutive gold medal and world title, on account of the first three Olympic competitions also doubling up as world championships
David Trottier was the star performer in a squad that also featured Charles Delahay, Frank Fisher, Louis Hudson, Norbert Mueller, Herbert Plaxton, Cyril Slater, Hugh Plaxton, Roger Plaxton, John Porter, Frank Sullivan, Joseph Sullivan and Ross Taylor. Top-scoring with 12 goals in the competition, Trottier helped himself to five-goal hauls against the British and the Swiss.
In the battle for the other medals Sweden beat Switzerland 4-0 and Great Britain 3-1 to win silver, while the Swiss saw off the British 4-0 to secure the bronze.