probably just a throwback that someone added to later when the year was added to the name, it was never actually named that, always EA HOCKEY to me
ahh just seeing the preview in MEAN MACHINES was enough for me for an instant sale, as i was looking for a decent enough ice hockey game ... and after TWO DECADES of using it for my simming competitions it was retired
and i guess the teams were selected because they were the more popular ones ... yes even poland
it was quite interesting as to who won ... here's the list of my world champions
2009-2010 - GERMANY
2008-2009 - FINLAND
2007-2008 - SWITZERLAND
2006-2007 - FRANCE
2005-2006 - SWEDEN
2004-2005 - SWEDEN
2003-2004 - UNITED STATES
2002-2003 - CANADA
2001-2002 - RUSSIAN REPUBLIC
2000-2001 - HUNGARY (NOT A TYPO, they beat CANADA 7-2!)
1999-2000 - SWEDEN
1998-1999 - NETHERLANDS
1997-1998 - C.I.S. (SOVIET UNION)
1996-1997 - GERMANY
1995-1996 - CANADA
1994-1995 - NETHERLANDS
1993-1994 - BELGIUM
1992-1993 - CANADA
1991-1992 - UNITED STATES
1990-1991 - SWEDEN