Chris Boline
- What: The 2022 Winter Olympics
- Who: The main four contenders to take home the men’s ice hockey gold medal
- Where: Beijing National Indoor Stadium and Wukesong Arena, Beijing
- When: The tournament will be held from February 9th to February 20th with the gold medal contest occurring on February 20th, 2022.
With twelve countries qualifying for the tournament, the men’s ice hockey will be a hotly-contested event at the 2022 Winter Olympics. The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) returned as the defending champions from 2018 where they were able to outlast Germany 4-3 in a thrilling gold medal game. It was also during these Olympic Games where the National Hockey League (NHL) announced that it would prohibit any player under NHL contract, from participating in the Olympics. With these new rules, the Games saw Canada finish behind the ROC and Germany on the podium.
For this year’s edition of the Olympics, the ROC return as the favorites, but it will be a crowded dash to the finish line. Check out the MTS breakdown below on who will stake their claim at the top spot.
| Odds to Win Olympics Men's Ice Hockey Tournament |  |  |  |
| ROC | +160 | +160 | +160 |
| Finland | +450 | +450 | +450 |
| Sweden | +600 | +600 | +600 |
| Canada | +700 | +700 | +700 |
The Number One Contender: ROC (+160)
A powerful force in the world of international men’s ice hockey, the ROC will be seeking their first back-to-back gold medal performance since before the Soviet Union dissolved. In the past decade, the Russians have won two World Championships in addition to their 2018 gold medal in Pyeongchang. With the most recent Olympics breaking their gold medal drought, the ROC will be relying on a veteran roster to take them back to the top. Forward captain Anton Slepyshev is a rising star in the KHL and one of the best weapons on the ROC roster.
Number Two: Finland (+450)
With a World Championship in 2019, Finland is angling for their first-ever gold medal at the Olympic Games. The Lions are one of the so-called “Big Six” of men’s ice hockey superpowers and for good reason. In addition to their 2019 world title, Finland has been a consistent threat for the podium with bronze medal finishes in 2010 and 2014 and a gold medal at the 2010 World Championships. Their current squad is led by Jukka Jalonen who coached the team to gold medals at the 2011 and 2019 IIHF World Championships. Currently ranked as the second-best team in the world according to the IIHF, Finland has a strong claim to the throne.
Number three: Sweden (+600)
Another highly-decorated country, Sweden is seeking the country’s first gold medal at the Olympics since 2006. After a disappointing fifth place at the 2018 Games, the Swedes will be looking to bounce back in a big way in Beijing. While they did come up short in 2018, Sweden still was able to rack up some big wins in the last couple of years, namely winning back-to-back world titles in 2017 and 2018. With a fair amount of their core returning to these games in 2022, Sweden will pose a consistent threat in each game they enter.
Final contender: Canada (+700)
The men’s ice hockey squad with the most Olympic gold medals in the world (nine), Canada is another country seeking a return to glory. The 2021 World Champions, Team Canada has had a solid run this last decade with an Olympic gold medal in 2014 and world titles in 2015, 2016 and 2021. An impressive and elite force, Canada has potentially the most momentum leading into the tournament with their consistent wins at the biggest competitions.
Prediction: In what should be a slobber-knocker of a competition, look for Finland to take home their first gold medal ever.
How To Bet on Men’s Ice Hockey Online
As your are wrapping up your gaming bets on the 2022 Winter Olympics, you will also want to make sure you have checked out which sportsbook makes the most sense for you. For instance, here is a link to all the highest-rated sportsbooks available as well as reviews for each of them. On these websites you can find a plethora of information pertaining to ice hockey, figure skating, or any other sport that is featured at the 2022 Winter Olympics. Another great resource to always consult are our guides for futures and prop betting. That way, you will have an idea of what kind of wagers you want to make in the future and what makes the most sense within your unit breakdown. Making sure you have checked out multiple gaming websites is always a solid idea since it will give you a breakdown of where to get the most money for your currency.
A final note to be aware of, many of these sites offer great sign-up bonus programs as well. Having an idea of which bonus programs make the most sense for you is a great notion since it allows you to get more money in your pocket a minimal cost. Check out the table below to see what options are at your disposal and which you would like to use this hockey season.
