Beijing 2022 Ice Hockey Predictions Favor ROC to Defend Its Title

By: Eniko

Posted: February 3, 2022

Updated: February 3, 2022

Ice hockey tournaments are taken place between 4-20 February at the Beijing Olympics
The biggest stars of the NHL won’t play in the games, ROC is the biggest favorite
Canada and the US team can fight for the gold again in the women’s tournament

After the NHL's announcement, the Russian Olympic Committee team has become the top favorite in the Beijing 2022 ice hockey predictions. With the biggest American and Canadian stars missing the Games, other nations like Finland and Sweden can also fight for the men's gold at the Olympics. While the two powerhouses can win the women's tournament that will start on the 3rd of February. 12 men and 10 women ice hockey teams will compete for the gold medal at the 2022 Winter Olympics. The women's tournament will begin on the 3rd of February with the group games and end with the final on the 17th of February. Only Canada and the US have won the Olympic title so far in the history of the sport. And these two teams are the top favorites again as we mentioned here. Unlike in the men's tournament, where much weaker American and Canadian teams will compete after the NHL didn't release players for the Games. The Russian team has a huge chance now to defend their title and win again. Along with the 2019 world champions, Finland, and the two-time Olympic champions Sweden.

Beijing 2022 Ice Hockey Predictions For the Women's Tournament

Let's start with the women's tournament first where still Canada and the US are the top favorites. Canada has been the more successful nation after winning the Olympics four times so far. Online sportsbooks in Canada also favor them to win in Beijing with the odds of 1.90. They are also the reigning world champions after defeating their old rivals in the final 3-2 last year. Four years ago they were beaten by the US, but Troy Ryan's team has a great opportunity to take revenge now. Players like Marie-Philip Poulin, Sarah Nurse, and Jocelyne Larocque can lead the team to glory again. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDa7amtyyAA But the US team wants to win the gold as well, with the odds of 2.05 to do so. They won their second Olympic title in Pyeongchang after their first victory 20 years ago, in Nagano. The team also won nine world championships titles and finished as a runner-up on all other occasions. The only exception is the 2006 Olympics in Turin when somehow they only finished third. This result is not very likely now though. With the 2018 gold medalists, Hilary Knight, Brianna Decker, and Kendall Coyne Schofield being a member of the team. Finland won the bronze medal four years ago and they can finish on the podium again.

The Defending Champions Are Favored To Win The Men's Tournament

The ROC team has the smallest odds, 2.48 to win the gold again in Beijing and defend their title. Unlike the US and Canadian teams, they will have all of their star players in the squad. Most of them play domestically, at the Kontinental Hockey League, giving them a huge advantage ahead of their main rivals. In their squad, we can find the KHL's top scorer, Vadim Shipachov along with former NHL players Artem Anisimov, Nikita Nesterov and forward Mikhail Grigorenko. Online gambling sites in Canada mention Finland as the next strongest team, and offer the odds of 4.56 for their victory. They have never won the gold medal but got two silver and three bronze medals from the Games. It might be their time now to become Olympic champions. Especially after finishing as a runner-up in last year's world championship. Valtteri Filppula and Leo Komarov are both experienced players and can play a key role in the Finish success. Their neighbors, Sweden are also mentioned in the top favorites. They won the Olympics twice so far, in 1994 and 2006. And Sweden also finished on the podium on seven occasions. Several players have retired since the last Olympics, but this team can also get a great result with the lead of Dynamo Moscow player Oscar Lindberg. Their odds to win the title in Beijing are 5.50 on 22Bet.