Olympic Hockey 2022: Which Countries are the Medal Favorites in Latest Odds?
The 2022 men's Olympic hockey tournament in Beijing lost a bit of its intrigue when the NHL announced that its players wouldn't be participating.
But while many of the top stars in the world won't be playing, a number of teams still feature talented rosters. Below, we'll take a look at which teams are the favorites in the latest round of odds heading into the 2022 Games.
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Russian Olympic Committee (+150)
While the ROC won't have current NHL players at its disposal, a number of talented players from the Kontinental Hockey League—widely regarded as the second-best league in the world—grace this roster, making the defending gold medalists the obvious favorite. KHL stars like Vadim Shipachev, Sergei Andronov and Mikhail Grigorenko, among others, make the ROC the prohibitive favorites.
Finland (+450)
Long-time NHL veterans Valtteri Filppula and Markus Granlund will lead a group that features a number of players who once played in the league, from Leo Komarov and Teemu Hartikainen to Sami Vatanen and Mikko Lehtonen. That experience makes the Fins a legitimate contender to upset the ROC and claim gold.
Sweden (+550)
A number of former NHL players, including Marcus Kruger, Anton Lander and Jacob de la Rose, headline a Swedish group that will be expected to make real noise in Beijing.
Canada (+700)
The Canadians are led by arguably the most decorated former NHL player in the Olympic tournament, five-time All-Star Eric Staal, and in total have 17 players with some level of NHL experience. But the Canadians also have some exciting young talent on the roster, from 2021 NHL draft top overall pick Owen Power to third overall pick Mason McTavish. Do not sleep on Team Canada.
Czech Republic (+900)
Former NHL players David Krejci and Vladimir Sobotka headline a group that includes seven players from the 2018 Olympic team.
Switzerland (+1400)
A number of Swiss players, including Denis Malgin, Gaetan Haas, Sven Andrighetto and Gregory Hoffmann, bring NHL pedigree to this squad.
United States (+1600)
The United States chose to go with potential over experience with this group, selecting 15 college players. Two first-round picks from the 2020 NHL draft, Jake Sanderson and Brendan Brisson, and the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, Matty Beniers, are the players to watch. Other talented college players like Brock Faber, Drew Helleson and Drew Commesso make the United States a dark-horse candidate worth taking a flier on.
Germany (+2000)
The Germans made the gold-medal game in 2018 and will be looking to replicate their silver-winning form. Returning players Marcel Noebels, Dominik Kahun and Patrick Hager—and Olympic newcomer Tom Kuhnhackl—are the headliners, though the Germans drew a tough Group A assignment (Canada, United States, China).
Slovakia (+5000)
Slovakia will be hoping that former NHL players like Martin Marincin, Kristian Pospisil and Marko Dano can lead them on a surprising run to the medal podium.
Denmark (+10000)
A number of former NHL veterans, including Frans Nielsen, Mikkel Boedker, Nicklas Jensen and Peter Regin headline Denmark's group. The Danes are a longshot, however, even in a wide-open field.
Latvia (+10000)
Kaspars Daugavins is the most experienced NHL player on Latvia's roster, with 91 career games for the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins, though he last played in the league in 2013. This is an unproven side that looks like one of the weaker teams in the tournament.
China (+70000)
The Chinese men have never appeared in an Olympic hockey tournament, and the group that will represent the country in these Games will consist almost entirely of foreign-born players. The majority of the team will come from Kunlun Red Star, a KHL team based in Beijing. With those foreign-born players living and playing in China, it allowed the country the opportunity to field a more competitive roster. Just not one competitive enough to get anywhere close to the medal podium in these Games.
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.
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