As the supplier of half the NHL’s players, Canada should always be the favourite in a major international tournament – but that is no guarantee they will win the World Cup of Hockey.
Still, Team Canada is listed as the -110 favourite on the odds to win the World Cup at sportsbooks monitored by OddsShark.com. While the NHL’s motive for reviving the World Cup might owe to an impasse over releasing players to compete in the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics, the September 17-October 1 tournament in Toronto will be the first best-on-best competition between NHL players outside the Olympics since 2004.
Canada is pitted against Team USA (+600), Team Czech Republic (+2000) and Team Europe (+3300) in Group A. The hosts are reigning Olympic and world champions, and will be deep defensively through the likes of Drew Doughty, Brent Burns, Duncan Keith and Jake Muzzin, who have all helped their NHL teams make deep playoff runs in recent years.
Canada is also so stacked at centre that someone among Sidney Crosby, Jonathan Toews, John Tavares, Joe Thornton and Steven Stamkos will have to move over to the wing.
The first point of reference with Team USA, of course, was their omission of two premier offensive talents, Pittsburgh Penguins RW Phil Kessel and Carolina Hurricanes D Justin Faulk. Focusing on grinding, line-matching and goaltending – with Ben Bishop and Jonathan Quick – is known to be a good strategy for underdogs in tournament play. However, it usually only goes so far, unless the goalie is an all-time legend like Dominik Hasek.
Group B consists of Russia (+400), Sweden (+500), Finland (+1400) and Team North America (+2000), the 23-and-under squad.
Russia has had issues delivering in showcase tournaments such as the Olympics. Sweden is bolstered by stars from the goal out, with Henrik Lundqvist between the pipes, Erik Karlsson on defense and a cadre of high scorers such as Daniel Sedin, Henrik Sedin and Nicklas Backstrom. Sweden was the silver medallist at the last best-on-best event, the 2014 Olympics.
Finland offers a higher payout for winning than the Swedes. Finland, which is considered the world leader in goalie development, has Pekka Rinne and Tuukka Rask to provide the last line of defence. Offensively, Winnipeg Jets No. 2 overall pick Patrik Laine was a leading scorer with 12 points at the world championship in May, showing he’s already up to playing against the big boys.
Team North America will be laden with several budding superstars, including Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Jack Eichel and Aaron Ekblad. Stanley Cup-winning goalie Matt Murray is also a potential starter. There is no way to know whether Team NA will become greater than the sum of their parts, but they offer a fun darkhorse wager on the hockey betting lines this fall.
