The Olympics 2026 men’s hockey gold medal odds for 2026 feature the two North American powerhouses at the top. NHL players are returning to the Winter Games for the first time since 2014, and the buzz around this tournament is massive.
Canada and the USA look destined for a showdown as their rivalry reaches a new high. But will one of these traditional powerhouses skate away with gold, or is a surprise champion lurking in Italy?
In this guide, I break down the latest gold medal odds, assess the leading contenders, and share my men’s Olympics hockey predictions.
Olympics 2026 Men’s Hockey Odds: Who Is Expected to Win Gold?
The following men’s Olympics hockey gold medal odds are courtesy of Bovada:
| COUNTRY | ODDS |
|---|---|
| Canada | +125 |
| USA | +200 |
| Sweden | +600 |
| Finland | +1000 |
| Czechia | +1200 |
| Switzerland | +1600 |
| Germany | +8000 |
| Slovakia | +8000 |
| Denmark | +25000 |
| Latvia | +25000 |
| France | +40000 |
| Italy | +40000 |
Team Canada (+125) enters the Winter Games as the favorite to win gold in Milano. At +125 in the futures market, Canada has a 44.4% implied probability of capturing its 10th Olympic gold medal in men’s ice hockey. The Canadians were also the last team to win gold with NHL players at Sochi 2014, before NHLers missed the following two tournaments.
According to top Olympic betting sites, the USA (+200) has the second-best odds to win men’s ice hockey gold. At +200, the Americans carry a 33.3% implied chance. From there, the market opens up: Sweden sits at +600 (14.3%), with rival Finland further back at +1000 (9.1%).
The Swedes are well-positioned to at least reach the podium, while Finland is more of an outside contender. The Finns still bring a strong roster to Milano, but they’ll likely need a few favorable bounces along the way to make a serious push for gold.
You can find updated Olympic men’s hockey winner odds at Bovada by navigating to All Sports > Winter Olympics > Hockey > Men’s.
Olympics 2026 Men’s Hockey Favorites
Three teams have a realistic shot at winning the gold in ice hockey, at least according to the betting odds. Let’s dive into the details and analyze each nation’s chances before the puck drops:
Team Canada (+125)
To the surprise of no hockey fans, Team Canada is favored to win the gold medal. Are they living off past reputation, or is this team built to capture another Olympic title? Given how strong this roster looks on paper, it’s hard to argue against them.
Canada is stacked at every position. Up front, the offensive firepower makes this team look like a dream lineup. Down the middle, the one-two punch of Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon is unmatched in this tournament.
They are the two clear frontrunners for the Hart Trophy this season, with very little competition behind them. After McDavid and MacKinnon, Bo Horvat and Nick Suzuki are projected to anchor the third and fourth lines, giving Canada impressive depth at center.
The most intriguing element of this roster, though, might be the McDavid–Macklin Celebrini duo on the top line. With McDavid, Macklin, and MacKinnon, Team Canada has three of the top 5 players in points this season!
Most Points Since 2011-2012:
1. Connor McDavid 1,173
2. Sidney Crosby 1,172
3. Nathan MacKinnon 1,103
4. Nikita Kucherov 1,072Yeah Connor McDavid is just incredible in every way possible! #LetsGoOilers #NHL pic.twitter.com/2AQ2uF0aog
— 2 Mutts Hockey Podcast (@2MuttsHockeyPod) January 27, 2026
McDavid and Celebrini have the potential to dominate the Olympics in the offensive zone, creating matchup nightmares for every opponent. Flanking them with Mitch Marner, who enjoyed a strong 4 Nations showing. McDavid, Crosby, and MacKinnon played on the same line at times at the 4 Nations, offering head coach Jon Cooper plenty of flexibility.
This team can win with physicality as well. Tom Wilson should fit seamlessly on a line with Brad Marchand and Horvat. Wilson and Marchand provide a significant physical edge and leadership presence down the lineup. As dominant as McDavid and MacKinnon are expected to be, Wilson and Marchand could be the true X-factors for Team Canada.
On the back end, the blue line is in excellent shape. Cale Makar and Devon Toews form a dynamic top pair, while Shea Theodore and Josh Morrissey offer a reliable and skilled second option. Together, they give Canada both puck-moving ability and defensive stability.
The biggest question mark, once again, is goaltending. Canada entered the 4 Nations tournament with uncertainty in net, but Jordan Binnington delivered a fantastic performance.
Since then, Logan Thompson has cooled off after a red-hot start, and Binnington hasn’t quite maintained that same level of play. As a result, the starting job appears wide open, with Darcy Kuemper also firmly in the mix.
If the goaltending situation settles the way it did at the 4 Nations, Canada’s overall talent and depth make them one of the safest bets to capture Olympic hockey gold.
Team USA (+200)
The core that pushed Canada to the brink at the 4 Nations is back, and they’re looking for revenge. Team USA took Canada to overtime in the gold-medal game before Connor McDavid ended their run, but they were one shot away from a different outcome, and they return with much of that same foundation.
The Tkachuk brothers are reunited, with Matthew and Brady expected to skate on a line with Jack Eichel. Matthew and Brady were outstanding together at the 4 Nations, and there’s no reason to think they won’t pick up where they left off. Like Canada, the United States should rely heavily on its top two centers to drive play in the offensive zone.
This photo of Brady and Matthew Tkachuk FIRED UP after leveling the score vs. Canada 🔥
📸: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images pic.twitter.com/70UIZgIqTj
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 21, 2025
Following Eichel, Auston Matthews is projected to be the second line center. The grand question is which Matthews will show up for the Olympics. He’s been hot and cold this season and may not be playing fully healthy.
Also, there are also concerns that Matthews fails to show up in big games. He disappeared during the 4 Nations and lost his defensive assignment against McDavid in overtime to concede the game-winning goal.
Projected third line center Jack Hughes is dealing with an undisclosed lower-body injury with the Olympics approaching. That’s bad news for a team that was looking for Huges to play a critical role in Milano. Team US won’t be at full health on the blue line for the Olympics.
Defenseman Seth Jones is out with an upper-body injury and will be replaced by 25-year-old Jackson LaCombe of the Anaheim Ducks. Even without Jones, Zach Werenski and Quinn Hughes still give Team USA two Norris Trophy–caliber defensemen. Jones would have made it a potent trifecta.
Vezina winner Connor Hellebuyck has been far less sharp this season. Through 34 games, he carries a 2.71 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage, a notable drop-off from the 2.00 and 2.39 GAAs he posted over the previous two years.
This is a rock-solid roster that should win a medal, but there are more question marks than on the Canadian side.
Team Sweden (+600)
Per the 2026 Olympic hockey odds, Sweden is favored to win the bronze medal. They aren’t viewed as top contenders like Canada and the USA, but they can’t be written off. Sweden is likely to push every opponent and could turn that into a surprise run at gold.
Their most recent tune-up, the 4 Nations, ended in disappointment. Sweden lost hard-fought round-robin games in overtime to both Finland (4-3) and Canada (4-3), then closed the tournament with a 2-1 win over the US, who had already clinched a spot in the championship.
Even so, they were only a bounce or two away from the championship game. Their 1-0-2 record doesn’t reflect how close they were to seriously contending for the title. With a similar roster heading to Italy, Sweden should be in the mix again.
Up front, the projected top line was expected to be Leo Carlsson, William Nylander, and Jesper Bratt gives Sweden real offensive punch. However, Sweden received a huge blow when it was announced Carlsson would miss the Olympics.
It is seeming that Jonas Brodin and Leo Carlsson will miss the #MilanoCortina2026 Olympics due to injury, per @PierreVLeBrun. pic.twitter.com/ZKSCfQxgia
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 21, 2026
The forward group is deep, though, so all hope isn’t lost. A potential third line of Adrian Kempe, Joel Eriksson Ek, and Mika Zibanejad is better than many teams’ second unit. The roster is loaded with experience, highlighted by 35-year-old defenseman Erik Karlsson.
Karlsson is no longer at his peak, but he can still contribute on the second or third pair and brings significant leadership. The bigger concern is the blue line as a whole, which struggled at the 4 Nations and could be a weakness again.
In net, though, Filip Gustavsson enters in solid form for the Wild, posting a 2.57 GAA and a .910 save percentage through 34 games.
If Gustavsson gets hot, Sweden has a real path to a gold-medal upset. Realistically, he’ll need to steal a couple of games for that to happen, which may be a lot to ask.
Men’s Olympic Hockey Longshot Bets
The odds are stacked against the rest of the field, but there are two men’s Olympics hockey picks worth considering for small bets:
-
Finland (+1000)
Finland didn’t get the result they wanted at the 4 Nations last February, finishing 0-1-2 with an overtime win and two regulation losses. That said, their 4-3 OT victory over Sweden delivered a strong message.
Finnish mafia runs deep 💚🇫🇮 pic.twitter.com/R9MEI5S8oL
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) January 2, 2026
This roster has real star power, led by a strong Dallas Stars contingent: Mikko Rantanen, Roope Hintz, Miro Heiskanen, and Esa Lindell. That “Finnish Mafia” core brings established chemistry and familiarity, especially on the back end with Heiskanen and Lindell anchoring the top defensive pair.
In a short tournament, continuity is a major edge. Having four players from the same NHL team means Finland shouldn’t need long to find their rhythm, making them a legitimate threat right from the opening puck drop. On top of that, the projected second line featuring Sebastian Aho and Artturi Lehkonen adds even more high‑end skill and scoring upside.
Overall, Finland is more dangerous than their current odds suggest. From a value standpoint, they stand out as one of the best men’s Milano 2026 hockey betting picks.
-
Czechia (+1200)
The second team that has an opportunity for an upset at the Winter Games is Czechia. This is a sneaky good team that has a chance to surprise some people. They open the tournament against Canada, which is a mammoth test. However, if Czechia can catch the Canadians napping, things could get interesting.
It’s hard to count out a team that features playmakers like Tomas Hertl, David Pastrnak, and Martin Necas. Teams are going to take them lightly, but that’s the opening that Czechia could use to their advantage. With goalscorers on all of their lines, it isn’t the best idea for opponents to look past this team.
I liked the skill position players on Czechia, but they must get top goaltending from Lukas Dostal. The Ducks’ starting netminder owns a 2.95 GAA and 0.896 save percentage. That doesn’t sound great, but he also plays on a Ducks squad that doesn’t have any defense. He’ll get more support here.
At +1200, Czechia has value for a small longshot bet to win the gold medal!
2026 Olympics Men’s Hockey Predictions and Betting Pick
Heading into the Olympics, the conversation around Canada’s goaltending feels similar to the noise before the 4 Nations. That concern ultimately proved overblown when Binnington settled things down, and with Kuemper, Binnington, and Thompson in the mix again, Canada should be able to sort out the crease.
US is not in a much better position, as Hellebuyck is not as consistent as he was leading into the 4 Nations last year. Thompson and Kuemper both boast better numbers, while Hellebuyck has been relatively mediocre and looks short on confidence. No Olympic team has a sure-thing goalie who can single-handedly steal a gold medal.
The bigger issue for Canada’s opponents is the star power up front. MacKinnon and McDavid on the same roster is already a nightmare matchup, and Macklin’s rapid development gives Canada an even bigger edge alongside two Hart Trophy favorites. On top of that, Canada can roll out heavy, forechecking wingers like Marchand and Wilson to provide physicality and depth.
Taking everything into account, Canada stands out as the best men’s Olympic ice hockey betting pick to win gold.
Where to Bet on 2026 Olympics Hockey?
As our top recommendation for betting on men’s Olympic hockey, Bovada has everything you need. With futures markets to bet on the gold medal winner and daily matchup odds, this is the top trusted online sportsbooks for the Olympic hockey betting odds.
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