Olympic Hockey 2018: Which Countries Are the Medal Favorites in Latest Odds?
Even without NHL players involved, ice hockey at the 2018 Winter Olympics should be filled with plenty of drama.
While fans have gotten used to seeing big stars like Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin representing their countries every four years, the upcoming games in Pyeongchang might allow some younger players to shine on the big stage.
There might even be a new Mike Eruzione or Jim Craig ready to break out in these Olympics.
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Here is a look at the top teams hoping to bring home a medal in 2018.
Odds to Win Gold (via OddsShark)
Olympic Athletes of Russia +105
Canada +450
Sweden +450
Finland +800
Czech Republic +900
USA +1000
Top Contenders
Olympic Athletes of Russia
Russia won't be able to compete under its own flag after a doping scandal, but there are enough hockey players still eligible to participate under the Olympic flag.
This is bad news for the rest of the field, because this squad is clearly the most experienced in the competition.
Pavel Datsyuk and Ilya Kovalchuk are among the several former NHL players on this roster, and many of them are still capable of competing at a high level while participating in the KHL.
Datsyuk will captain the team as one of the best two-way players in hockey over the past two decades. The 39-year-old is a three-time Frank Selke Trophy winner as the best defensive forward in the NHL, with 918 points in his 15-year career with the Detroit Red Wings.
Meanwhile, Kovalchuk and others will benefit from his experience and passing ability as the group tries to compete with mostly younger opponents. This could be the necessary ingredient for Russia to win its first Olympic gold medal since competing as the Unified Team in 1992.
"There have been scandals. This tournament will be remembered because of them," Datsyuk said, per the Russian Federation website. "However, I hope the competition will be special because of a different reason."
Canada
Canada has been the big name in international hockey in recent years, winning two golds and a silver in the last three world championships, as well as two straight gold medals in the Olympics.
ESPN Stats & Info broke down the team's overall success:
While this will be a much different roster, there is still enough talent to bring home the gold once again in 2018.
The strength of this team is its defense, featuring multiple goalies capable of shutting down everyone in this competition. Ben Scrivens and Kevin Poulin have each led their teams to victories in the Spengler Cup and could each play a major role in net.
Offensively, there are a handful of former NHL veterans like Derek Roy and Rene Bourque, with the latter currently playing in Sweden after a successful year with the Colorado Avalanche.
These players have also spent a good amount of time together, developing chemistry that could make a positive impact in South Korea.
Sweden
Group C might be the most competitive in the tournament, with Sweden and Finland coming in as the favorites, followed by Germany and Norway. Unlike in Group A with hosts South Korea, there are no gimme matchups in this group.
Still, Sweden should be the favorite thanks to a quality roster of players both young and old.
The most intriguing name on the list is 17-year-old defenseman Rasmus Dahlin, who is expected to be the No. 1 pick of the 2018 NHL draft, per Chris Peters of ESPN:
Although he is young, he has as much skill as anyone in this tournament and could make an impact on both ends of the ice.
Veterans Viktor Stalberg and Anton Lander will anchor the offense, making this a complete team that won't be easy for anyone to beat.
After earning silver in Sochi, Sweden should be a top contender for gold in Pyeongchang.
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