- The 12 nations within the 2026 Olympic ice hockey match have named their first six gamers
- Canada continues to be the betting favourite for the Milan/Cortina Olympics
- See the up to date Olympic hockey odds for all 12 groups within the match
The 2026 Olympics are scheduled for Feb sixth to twenty second in Milan and Cortina, Italy. This can mark the primary time since 2014 that NHLers will take part within the Olympics, which has led to an enormous enhance in curiosity across the match. On Monday, the 12 groups which have certified for the Olympic ice hockey match every named the primary six gamers that can comprise their 22-man rosters.
With Russia nonetheless banned, the chances proceed to closely favor Canada and the USA, who simply went toe-to-toe in an exhilarating ultimate on the 2025 4 Nations. The desk beneath lists the chances for all 12 groups. Beneath the desk, discover the preliminary rosters for all 12 groups, listed so as of their odds to win gold.
Bounce to a roster: Canada | USA | Sweden | Finland | Switzerland | Czechia | Germany | Slovakia | Denmark | France | Italy | Latvia
Olympic Ice Hockey Odds (2026)
Canada is sitting at +175 (36.36% implied win likelihood) with the USA proper behind at +200 (33.33% implied win likelihood). Collectively, the 2 North American groups are given a 69.69% likelihood of successful gold. Sweden is the third-favorite at a distant +500 (16.67%). No different crew is shorter than +800 (11.11%).
Odds as of June 16 at DraftKings. Take a look at SBD’s information to on-line betting banking strategies.
Canada Roster
The one average shock on the Canada roster is Sam Reinhart, who was chosen over the likes of Brad Marchand. But it surely’s laborious to quibble; Reinhart backed up a breakout 57-goal season in 2023-24 with a 39-goal, 81-point marketing campaign this season, and has been an integral a part of Florida’s push for a second straight Stanley Cup.
The questions for Canada, in fact, will are available in internet. Jordan Binnington turned again the clock to win the 4 Nations. With the US boasting reigning Hart Trophy-winner Connor Hellebuyck in internet, and Sweden touting Jacob Markstrom, the Canadians will probably have – at greatest – the third-best tendies within the match.
The Canadians gained the final two Olympic hockey tournaments that included NHLers: Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014.
USA Roster
No surprises in anyway right here. Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Quinn Hughes, a pair Tkachuks. Enterprise as ordinary for the USA. It’s considerably unusual that Hellebuyck wasn’t tabbed, however there’s little question he’ll be the USA #1 if he’s wholesome come February 2025.
The USA is looking for its first gold medal because the 1980 “Miracle on Ice”. They’ve simply two silver medals since 1980 (Salt Lake Metropolis 2002, Vancouver 2010).
Sweden Roster
Sweden doesn’t have the top-end expertise it’s had in earlier generations, so it’s prime six doesn’t wow. However there gained’t be a lot drop-off when the remainder of the roster is introduced. Swedes that didn’t make the top-six embody: Jesper Bratt (who led all Swedes with 88 factors in 2024-25), Filip Forsberg (76 factors), Rickard Rakell (70 factors) Mika Zibanejad (62 factors), and Erik Karlsson (53 factors).
Sweden and France are the one groups that didn’t title a single true middle to their six-man rosters.
Sweden’s final gold medal got here in Turin in 2006. Stunningly, the Swedes haven’t even medaled in 4 Olympic tournaments since that gold medal.
Finland Roster
Finland at the moment has fourth-best odds (tied with Switzerland) however is ready to ice a top-six that might deal with anybody on any evening.
Florida’s Sasha Barkov, who captained the Panthers to a Stanley Cup win in 2024 and is one sport away from going again to again, will carry championship expertise and ludicrous two-way expertise. Sebastian Aho will do the identical, giving the Finns two facilities that will probably be immensely troublesome to attain on.
Finland will enter Milan/Cortina because the reigning Olympic champions, beating the Athletes from Russia 2-1 within the gold-medal sport in Beijing in 2022.
Switzerland Roster
The Swiss have out of the blue develop into a world hockey energy. They’re the runner-up on the final two IIHF World Championships (and likewise 2013 and 2018).
Kevin Fiala (35 objectives, 60 factors) has develop into one of many most-consistent goalscorers within the league, hitting 20-plus in every of the final six seasons. Former #1 general choose Nico Hischier has had three straight 20-goal, 60-point seasons. Roman Josi, now 35, is coming off the worst season of his storied profession, nevertheless. He was a brutal -26 in simply 53 video games for the Predators.
Switzerland hasn’t medaled since a bronze in 1948.
Czechia Roster
Czechia doesn’t boast the intimidating roster is used to on the peak of the Jaromir Jagr/Patrik Elias/Dominik Hasek period. However there’s nonetheless top-end expertise within the type of David Pastrnak (43 objectives, 106 factors) and Marty Necas (27 objectives, 83 factors).
The problems will come on protection. The Czech’s solely named on defenseman – 35-year-old sh*t-tank Radko Gudas.
Since successful gold at Nagano 1998, the Czech’s have only one medal (bronze at Turin 2006).
Germany Roster
The highest-heavy Germans have a powerful six-man roster, headlined in fact by Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl, who’s coming off his fourth 50-goal season (52 objectives, 106 factors). Draisaitl’s 52 objectives have been sufficient to earn him his first Rocket Richard Trophy.
Moritz Seider has been a beast on the Detroit blueline ever since his Calder Trophy-winning rookie season. He’s performed all 82 video games in every of his first 4 seasons, whereas scoring at the very least 42 factors in each. Final yr, he logged a career-high 25:04 TOI, which was tied for the eighth-highest in the whole NHL.
Germany’s final medal was a shock silver at Pyeongchang 2018.
Slovakia Roster
Slovakia has an honest top-six, highlighted by 2022 first-overall choose Juraj Slafkovsky, and 2022 second-overall choose Simon Nemec. Slafkovsky is coming off a career-best 51-point season for the Habs.
Slovakia’s first and solely Olympic ice hockey medal got here at Beijing 2022, the place they upset Sweden 4-0 within the bronze-medal sport.
Denmark Roster
The Danes boast 5 NHLers amongst their six preliminary gamers, headlined by Nikolaj Ehlers, who had 63 factors in 69 video games for the Jets this season, the second-highest whole of his profession.
With Carolina’s Frederik Andersen backstopping the crew, Denmark will probably be in a greater place than most between the pipes.
France Roster
The French roster boasts only one present NHLer, the Blues’ Alexandre Texier. However 40-year-old Pierre-Edouard Bellemare has 700 video games of NHL expertise (64 objectives, 138 factors), most-recently enjoying 40 video games with the Kraken in 2023-24.
France has by no means medaled in Olympic ice hockey.
Italy Roster
The host Italians are the one crew with out an NHLer on their roster. They final appeared within the Olympics in 2006, after they have been additionally the hosts (Turin). They completed eleventh out of 12 groups, managing two tied throughout 5 preliminary-round video games.
Alongside France and Latvia, Italy is only one of three nations within the match that has by no means gained an Olympic ice hockey medal.
Latvia Roster
Surprisingly, the Latvians are additionally priced at +25000, alongside France, Italy, and Denmark, regardless of all six of their gamers having at the very least a modicum of NHL expertise. Latvia has additionally had an honest quantity of success at current worldwide tournaments, successful bronze on the 2023 IIHF World Championship on residence ice.
Latvia is the one crew to call two goalies to its six-man roster: Vancouver’s Arturs Silovs and Columbus’ Elvis Merzlikins. These six participant have been the one Latvians to play within the NHL in 2024-25.