 With European teams constantly improving , the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association ( CAHA ) felt their amateur players could no longer be competitive and pushed for the ability to use players from professional leagues . At the IIHF Congress in 1969 , the IIHF voted to allow Canada to use nine non @-@ NHL professional players at the 1970 World Championships . The rights to host the tournament were awarded to Canada for the first time – in Montreal and Winnipeg . However , the decision to allow the use of professionals was reversed in January 1970 . IOC president Avery Brundage was opposed to the idea of amateur and professional players competing together and said that ice hockey 's status as an Olympic sport would be in jeopardy if the change was made . In response , Canada withdrew from International ice hockey competition . Canada 's ice hockey team did not participate in the 1972 and 1976 Winter Olympics . Canada also waived their rights to host the 1970 World Championship , so it was held in Stockholm , Sweden instead . 
