 Entering international play in 1954 , the Soviet national team under the tutelage of Anatoli Tarasov started to dominate the international competitions , and won nine consecutive championships in the 1960s . Canada , in response , developed a national team of its own . But Canada 's best players usually became professionals and the national team featured mostly university players . The Canadian team did not win any championships and was looked upon as a failure . By 1969 , the Government of Canada had formed Hockey Canada , an organization to co @-@ ordinate Canadian international play with its amateur organizations and the NHL . In July 1969 , on a trial basis , the inclusion of nine professional players for any event for one year was agreed to by the IIHF . Canada entered a team with five professionals in the Izvestia tournament at Christmas in 1969 , and nearly won the tournament . The IIHF then convened an emergency meeting in January 1970 , and the rule allowing professionals was rescinded . In response , Canada withdrew from IIHF play . The 1970 IIHF World Championships , scheduled to be held in Canada for the first time , were transferred to Sweden after Canada refused to host the event . 
