Ahearne Cup

Ahearne Cup is the name of two ice hockey tournaments, the first played from 1952 to 1977 and the second created in 2001. Both are named after British ice hockey promoter, J. F. "Bunny" Ahearne.
== The original Ahearne Cup ==
The original Ahearne Cup was held in Sweden annually from 1952 to 1977, with the exception of 1957, with the finals at Johanneshovs Isstadion in Stockholm, and co-arranged by newspaper Dagens Nyheter. It was held in December and open to both club teams and national teams, although national teams seldom competed. While most teams were from Sweden, many teams from Great Britain, the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, Canada and Finland also competed. The record for most tournaments attended is shared between Swedish teams Södertälje SK and Djurgårdens IF, both with 20 entries, followed by Leksands IF and AIK with 12 each. Djurgården also has the record for most wins, four, while Harringay Racers and Spartak Moscow won the tournament three times each.
For many Swedes, this tournament was the first meeting with North American playing style, represented by Canadian amateur teams and British teams filled with Canadians. However, as professional hockey evolved in North America, the transatlantic amateur teams became both less competitive and less interested in joining European tournaments of this kind. The resulting downturn in public interest, together with tougher playing schedules in the European leagues, led to the cancellation of the tournament.
===Winners=== 
* 1952: Edmonton Mercurys
* 1953: Harringay Racers
* 1954: Harringay Racers
* 1955: Nottingham Panthers
* 1956: Soviet Union
* 1957: not played
* 1958: Harringay Racers
* 1959: Wembley Lions
* 1960: Djurgårdens IF	
* 1961: Krylya Sovetov Moscow
* 1962: Port Arthur Bear Cats
* 1963: Djurgårdens IF
* 1964: Soviet Union
* 1965: Brynäs IF
* 1966: Sherbrooke Castors
* 1967: Leksands IF
* 1968: Krylya Sovetov Moscow
* 1969: Djurgårdens IF	
* 1970: HIFK Helsinki
* 1971: Spartak Moscow
* 1972: Spartak Moscow
* 1973: Spartak Moscow
* 1974: Djurgårdens IF
* 1975: Dynamo Moscow
* 1976: Dynamo Moscow
* 1977: AIK
== The new Ahearne Cup ==
The new Ahearne Cup (also known as the Ahearne Trophy) was created to promote interest in the British Ice Hockey Superleague. It was played in 2002 between teams from the ISL and teams from the Deutsche Eishockey Liga and in 2003 between British and Norwegian teams. It was again played for in 2006 between British and German teams, this time with the British teams coming from the Elite Ice Hockey League.
==Results==
====2002====
Ice Hockey Superleague	12:16 	Deutsche Eishockey Liga
Belfast Giants 	3:4 OT	Revierlöwen Oberhausen
Manchester Storm 	1:1 OT	Iserholn Roosters
Belfast Giants 	4:3 OT	Hannover Scorpions
Sheffield Steelers 	3:5 	Revierlöwen Oberhausen
London Knights 	3:1 	Hannover Scorpions
Nottingham Panthers 	1:2 	Iserholn Roosters
Bracknell Bees 	2:4 	SERC Wild Wings
Ayr Scottish Eagles 	2:2 OT	Eisbären Berlin
Nottingham Panthers 	3:2 	Düsseldorfer EG
Sheffield Steelers 	4:5 	Frankfurt Lions
London Knights 	3:3 OT	SERC Wild Wings
Macnhester Storm 	5:5 OT	Eisbären Berlin
Bracknell Bees 	3:4 	Düsseldorfer EG
Ayr Scottish Eagles 	5:3 	Frankfurt Lions
====2003====
Ice Hockey Superleague	16:4	Eliteserien
Nottingham Panthers 	11:3	Sparta Warriors
Sheffield Steelers 	3:5 	Sparta Warriors
Coventry Blaze 	6:3 	Trondheim Black Panthers
Belfast Giants 	3:0 	Trondheim Black Panthers
London Knights 	8:4 	Storhamar Dragons
Sheffield Steelers 	5:1 	Storhamar Dragons
Belfast Giants 	5:4 	Frisk Tigers
Bracknell Bees 	5:2 	Frisk Tigers
Bracknell Bees 	1:3 	Vålerenga IF
London Knights 	3:2 	Vålerenga IF
====2006====
Elite Ice Hockey League	0:8	Deutsche Eishockey Liga
Coventry Blaze 	2:4	Iserlohn Roosters
Coventry Blaze 	3:9	Kölner Haie
Sheffield Steelers 	1:3	Iserlohn Roosters
Nottingham Panthers 	2:6	Kölner Haie
== External links ==
* Winners of the original Ahearne Cup
* Information from AIK's club site, with Ahearne Cup's marathon table
Category:Tournaments