For the primary time in 12 years, NHL gamers will compete on the Olympics, and which means followers are handled to some world-class hockey. The USA hunts its first gold medal since 1980, however Canada stands in the best way, and lots extra groups in a deep subject are able to stealing spots on the rostrum.
The final time NHL gamers had been on the Olympics was again in 2014 when Canada received its second consecutive gold medal. The U.S. went house empty-handed after shedding to Finland within the bronze-medal sport, and Sweden settled for silver after shedding to Canada within the closing.
After all, rather a lot has modified within the final dozen years. Staff USA’s expertise pool is deeper, and the People are well-equipped to keep away from the identical pitfalls that plagued them in prior abroad Olympics. Canada, Sweden and Finland may even be as loaded as ever, however Czechia, Switzerland and Germany are closing the hole.
Maybe the most important distinction from previous years is that groups will not must take care of Russia, which may have fielded a harmful roster. The Worldwide Olympic Committee has nonetheless banned Russians from competing in staff sports activities as a result of struggle in Ukraine. Meaning Alex Ovechkin and Nikita Kucherov will likely be watching from afar.
Even with out Russia within the combine, the the return of the NHL means this Olympic match would be the most extremely anticipated in a while, and we’ve got a complete preview to get you prepared. We have damaged the 12-team subject into tiers primarily based on gold medal odds, and we’ll have medal picks and awards predictions on the finish.
Odds through DraftKings Sportsbook
Favorites
Canada (+115)
To know how loaded the Canadians are, simply take a look at the middle depth. Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby and Brayden Level — every a No. 1 heart in his personal proper — will function anchors down the center. The wings do not lack in ability or depth both. Macklin Celebrini, Mitch Marner and Sam Reinhart deliver scoring and playmaking. Gamers like Mark Stone and Tom Wilson deliver protection and physicality.
Nick Suzuki, Seth Jarvis and reigning Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett will likely be amongst these in jeopardy being unnoticed of the lineup every sport. That is how a lot firepower Canada is bringing to Italy.
Defensively, you could possibly quibble with a few of the choices the Canadians made on the fringes. Taking Travis Sanheim and Drew Doughty over elite puck-movers like Evan Bouchard and Jakob Chychrun had been fascinating choices, however the general expertise degree remains to be by way of the roof. Cale Makar is one of the best defenseman on this planet, and he is on tempo to win his second consecutive Norris Trophy. Shea Theodore and Devon Toews are criminally underrated two-way gamers, and Josh Morrissey will deliver loads of offense from the blue line. Coach Jon Cooper faces powerful choices when it comes time to submit his lineup earlier than every sport.
Canada’s most evident subject — and potential Achilles heel — is goaltending. The person who delivered a 4 Nations championship one 12 months in the past, Jordan Binnington, has been one of many NHL’s worst goalies in 2025-26. Darcy Kuemper has been above common for the Los Angeles Kings, and whereas Logan Thompson has been terrific for the Washington Capitals, he is by no means confronted strain like this earlier than. All that stated, if the Canadians simply get common goaltending, they need to be within the gold medal sport.
United States (+175)
Whereas questions simmer about Canada’s goaltending scenario, that is the most important power for the People. Connor Hellebuyck will go down as among the finest goaltenders ever, even when he is appeared human behind a mediocre Winnipeg Jets staff this season. Because the begin of the 2023-24 season, Hellebuyck saved 77.5 objectives above common, per Pure StatTrick. The subsequent closest goalie is Andrei Vasilevskiy at 52.2. Having Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman behind Hellebuyck is a humiliation of riches.
There’s rather a lot to love in regards to the ahead group for the People. Auston Matthews, Jake Guentzel, Matt Boldy and Tage Thompson (114 whole objectives in 2025-26) can deliver objectives in bunches. Dylan Larkin, Clayton Keller and Jack Hughes deliver a mix of velocity and playmaking. Final however definitely not least, the Tkachuk brothers and Jack Eichel present nice two-way play together with ailing intentions on the forecheck.
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Having stated that, should you can quibble with Canada’s defensive choices, you possibly can outright argue with Staff USA’s ahead choices. Jason Robertson, Cole Caufield and Alex DeBrincat are all within the prime eight in objectives this season. None of them are on this roster. As a substitute, GM Invoice Guerin went with “checking” gamers like Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller. We’ll see if that call comes again to chunk the People.
The U.S. blue line will likely be even higher than it was on the 4 Nations Face-Off, even with the subtraction of Adam Fox, as a result of Quinn Hughes is wholesome. He offers the People a famous person on the again finish to accompany Zach Werenski, who leads Olympic defensemen in scoring with 62 factors. Rising star Jake Sanderson also can generate offense from the blue line, and the trio of Charlie McAvoy, Jaccob Slavin and Brock Faber will function elite shutdown defenders.
Contenders
Sweden (+650)
If there’s any staff able to spoiling the Canada vs. USA gold medal matchup that everybody in North America so desperately craves, it is Sweden. From prime to backside, it is exhausting to search out many weaknesses on the Swedish roster. They might not have as a lot famous person expertise because the Canadians or People, however the Swedes have a balanced squad.
William Nylander, Lucas Raymond, Jesper Bratt, Filip Forsberg and Adrian Kempe can mild up the scoreboard from the wings, and the protection ought to be capable of give opponents a headache. Rasmus Dahlin is a critical Norris Trophy contender, and the duo of Victor Hedman and Gustav Forsling are chargeable for a mixed 4 Stanley Cup victories within the state of Florida since 2020. Rasmus Andersson and Erik Karlsson give the Swedes some extra offensive upside on the blue line.
Sweden will as soon as once more be comparatively robust in objective. The Minnesota Wild tandem of Filip Gustavsson and Jesper Wallstedt will maintain down the fort. These two have mixed to avoid wasting 23.2 objectives above common, and Jacob Markstrom is an effective veteran possibility in case of emergency.
The place the Swedes will likely be out-gunned is down the center of the ice. Elias Pettersson, Elias Lindholm, Mika Zibanejad and Joel Eriksson Ek are all superb gamers, however that quartet does not actually stack up the facilities on the Canadian and American rosters. If Sweden goes to win gold, their wingers and protection should do many of the heavy lifting.
Finland (+1000)
There’s one evident omission from this lineup, and it is Aleksander Barkov, a back-to-back Selke Trophy winner and Stanley Cup champion. Barkov would have been this staff’s prime heart and the participant the Finns threw on the market to face the likes of Connor McDavid and Auston Matthews. As a substitute, Barkov is damage, and that accountability will fall to Sebastian Aho and Roope Hintz.
Whereas neither Aho nor Hintz are Barkov, it is a testomony to Finland’s depth that these two are backup choices. Aho and Hintz are each robust two-way gamers who’ve obtained Selke Trophy votes all through their careers. The query is extra about which gamers will likely be flanking them. Mikko Rantanen is a real famous person on the wing, however there aren’t many heavy hitters exterior of that. Artturi Lehkonen is a good top-six possibility, and Eetu Luostarinen simply performed an enormous function in serving to the Florida Panthers win their second consecutive Cup, however somebody will all the time be taking part in above their head.
If the Finns are going to go on a run, it is going to take a staff defensive effort. That can begin with Miro Heiskanen, who’s able to shutting down prime competitors. Niko Mikkola, Esa Lindell and Rasmus Ristolainen are huge and rangy defensemen who also needs to assist in that division, however Finland simply does not have nice depth on the blue line. Count on the highest 4 to get loads of ice time in Italy.
In web, the Finns are weaker than they thought they’d be just some months in the past. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been nice for the Buffalo Sabres, however he’s injured and has been changed by Boston Bruins backup Joonas Korpisalo. Meaning Juuse Saros is the undisputed No. 1 possibility, however he hasn’t been very sharp for the Nashville Predators, particularly recently.
Darkish horses
Czechia (+2500)
No staff has extra underdog potential than the Czechs, who’ve some star energy at ahead and the potential for a sizzling goaltender to emerge. David Pastrnak and Martin Necas mixed for 44 objectives and 88 assists this season, and Tomas Hertl chipped in 48 factors for the Vegas Golden Knights. Sadly for the Czechs, they bought some unhealthy harm information as an ankle harm dominated out Bruins heart Pavel Zacha. He would have performed alongside Pastrnak, his teammate in Boston.
In web, Czechia has three choices in Lukas Dostal, Karel Vejmelka and Dan Vladar. Dostal has proven the power to play at a excessive degree for the Anaheim Geese, even when he is cooled off recently. Equally, Vejmelka has had an up-and-down season with the Utah Mammoth, however he is nonetheless posted 6.48 objectives saved above common, per Pure Stat Trick. Vladar has been a pleasing shock for the Philadelphia Flyers.
Protection is the place Czechia actually lacks for elite expertise. Radko Gudas and Filip Hronek are half of an honest top-four, however there are few good choices exterior of that duo. The Czechs have no different NHL gamers on the blue line, in order that they’ll have to be opportunistic on offense whereas getting elite goaltending.
Switzerland (+2500)
Switzerland is an up-and-coming hockey energy, and the nation has been getting outcomes at different worldwide tournaments. The Swiss have received the silver medal in back-to-back IIHF World Championships, with the 2024 run together with an upset of Canada within the semifinals. Switzerland additionally took house the silver medal in 2013 and 2018 World Championships. That stated, the Olympics are a a lot larger check, and the nation hasn’t medaled at that occasion since 1948.
This 12 months’s staff has as a lot expertise as any Swiss staff all through historical past. Nico Hischier, Kevin Fiala, Timo Meier and Roman Josi are all established stars. Nino Niederreiter, Pius Suter, J.J. Moser and Jonas Siegenthaler will function strong secondary gamers. At ahead, the Swiss top-six ought to be capable of be aggressive at each ends of the ice. Defensively, Josi and Moser may kind a dynamite workhorse pairing, if the staff wished to take that route.
As is the case with different groups on this tier, Switzerland lacks NHL-quality depth at ahead and on protection. That is the place the staff has to hope that a few of that current World Championship expertise will turn out to be useful. In web, Switzerland will likely be compelled to experience Akira Schmid, who’s been simply okay for the Vegas Golden Knights. Schmid should elevate his sport if Switzerland goes to medal.
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Germany (+5000)
That is most likely essentially the most fascinating staff within the subject as a result of there’s reputable superstar-level expertise on this roster. Leon Draisaitl is a top-five participant on this planet, Tim Stutzle is on his strategy to changing into one of many NHL’s finest facilities and Moritz Seider is having a Norris Trophy-caliber season with the Detroit Purple Wings. That is a pleasant start line for a German staff seeking to spoil the social gathering.
Along with Draisaitl and Stutzle, the Germans even have J.J. Peterka, who’s able to scoring 30 objectives within the NHL. Nico Sturm provides defensive accountability and penalty-killing chops, and Lukas Reichel is a former first-round decide who has loads of ability however hasn’t figured it out within the NHL. Between the pipes, Philipp Grubauer is having a resurgent marketing campaign with the Seattle Kraken, saving 12.1 objectives above common with a .854 high-danger save share, per Pure Stat Trick.
These prime gamers should carry the load after which some. Germany simply does not have the defensive depth to stack up with the highest contenders. It is a good factor Seider is used to taking part in greater than 25 minutes per sport in Detroit.
Nuisances
Slovakia (+6500)
It might be stunning if any groups from this tier received — and even medaled — however they could possibly be a thorn within the facet of the favorites. Slovakia definitely matches that invoice with NHL expertise littered all through the roster. Montreal Canadiens star Juraj Slafkovsky is the headliner on this lineup, and Dalibor Dvorsky and Pavol Regenda are succesful younger gamers. The Slovakians actually need Martin Pospisil to search out his rookie kind from 2024-24. Tomas Tatar supplies expertise, even when his NHL taking part in days are prior to now.
The protection is perhaps the strongest a part of the Slovakians’ roster with two-time Cup champion Erik Cernak, Martin Fehervary and Simon Nemec on the blue line. That trio ought to be capable of face up to a few of the barrage Slovakia faces from opponents, and that is a very good factor as a result of there are not any NHL-caliber netminders on the staff.
Denmark (+25000)
That is simply the second time Denmark appeared within the Olympics with the primary time being in 2022, when the staff reached the quarterfinals. There’s purpose to consider Denmark may replicate that efficiency with some offensive ability within the type of Nikolaj Ehlers and Oliver Bjorkstrand. The most important wild card right here is goalie Frederik Andersen, who’s delivered a depressing 12 months with the Carolina Hurricanes, however given some spectacular performances prior to now.
Latvia (+50000)
The Latvians are in between this tier and the following, however the one factor that would make the Latvians a little bit of a menace is goaltending. Elvis Merzlikins and Arturs Silovs are on the staff, and whereas neither participant is a star, it is believable one among them may discover a groove within the face of a giant workload. That duo should be sharp as a result of there are solely three different NHL gamers on the remainder of the roster.
The Latvians solely superior to the quarterfinals as soon as in Olympic historical past, they usually by no means medaled earlier than. It might be a bit stunning to see that streak finish in 2026.
Glad to be right here
France (+80000)
Alexandre Texier is the one lively NHL participant on France’s roster, and that is the nation’s first Olympic look since 2002. The French by no means superior previous the quarterfinals, they usually have one mixed win (over Switzerland) all-time towards their three preliminary opponents.
Italy (+100000)
Italy robotically certified as a result of it is the host nation, and that was the case for its final Olympic look, which got here in 2006 when the Winter Video games had been in Turin. The Italians, who haven’t got an NHL participant on their roster, are a mixed 0-8 all-time towards their three preliminary opponents.
Medal predictions
Gold medal: Canada
Silver medal: United States
Bronze medal: Switzerland
Award predictions
MVP: Nathan MacKinnon, Canada
Olympic All-Star staff: Nathan MacKinnon, Canada (F); Sidney Crosby, Canada (F); Leon Draisaitl, Germany (F); Cale Makar, Canada (D); Roman Josi, Switzerland (D); Connor Hellebuyck, USA (G)
