Nation Group (as of 2018) IIHF Ranking (as of May 2017) Member of IIHF since Member of division since Member of group since Ref. Australia Group A 36 1938 2013 2017 [159] Belgium Group A 37 1908 2005 2013 [160] China Group A 33 1963 2008 2018 [161] Croatia Group A 27 1992 2019 2019 [162] Serbia Group A 30 [C]1939[C] 2011 2012 [163] Spain Group A 31 1923 2012 2019 [164] Georgia Group B 40 2009 2019 2019 [165] Iceland Group B 32 1992 2007 2019 [166] Israel Group B 34 1991 2012 2015 [167] Mexico Group B 35 1985 2006 2012 [168] New Zealand Group B 39 1977 2010 2013 [169] North Korea Group B 41 1963 2016 2016 [170]