Six teams will compete in this year's tournament, an increase of two from last year's which was also held in the Russian capital, along with one match in Helsinki.

Hosts Russia, the Czech Republic, Finland and Sweden will be joined by Olympic champions Canada and South Korea at the VTB Ice Palace later this year.

Canada will take to the same ice on which they won the 2016 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championships title.

The Channel One Cup is an open tournament of teams representing various nations, composed of professionals playing in European hockey leagues.

The exact dates are yet to be determined but the tournament will be played during the international break set for the week of December 11 to 17. 

Sweden are the reigning champions after they saw off Russia, Finland and the Czech Republic last year.

The 2017 edition of the event coincides with the 50-year anniversary of the tournament.

It was founded in 1967 in honour of the Great October Socialist Revolution.

The last time Canada played at the tournament was in 1999. 

South Korea have never played in a top-tier IIHF tournament but will do so as the host of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang.

They will also compete at the 2018 IIHF World Championship in Denmark after earning promotion to the top level in April.