The Hungarian team won its group in the 2008 IIHF World Championship Division I, and therefore qualified to play in the Elite Division of the 2009 IIHF World Championship. This is the first time since 1939 that Hungary has qualified to play in the highest division of international hockey. The advance was, however, marred by the sudden death of team captain Gábor Ocskay, and the team was eventually relegated to Division I again. In 2015, Hungary finished second in its group in the 2015 IIHF World Championship Division I, behind Kazakhstan to gain promotion to the 2016 IIHF World Championship.