In a few hours at the Bell Centre (8 p.m., TNT), the first match of the 4 Nations Face-Off will take place, pitting Canada and Sweden against each other. Don't freak out if you've felt any of the following: sweaty palms and armpits, heartbeat racing to Connor McDavid's skates, and nervous twitching.
These symptoms accompany watching the best hockey.
Our oddsmakers do their best to find the best odds on players, but we've found some great options in our Canada vs Sweden predictions.
Canada vs Sweden - other favorable predictions
Nathan MacKinnon first period 2+ shots on goal: +172
- Nathan MacKinnon anytime goal: +180
- Josh Morrissey 2+ shots on goal: -122
- Sidney Crosby 1+ assist: +122
- Sam Reinhart 1+ assist: +136
Canada vs Sweden - Wednesday player predictions
Conviction picks on a scale of 1 to 5 stars.
My top player prediction: Connor McDavid Over 0.5 assists ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mitch Marner - Best Player Pick: Over 0.5 assists ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Filip Forsberg player prop pick: Over 0.5 points ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Canada vs. Sweden best player selection
Connor McDavid Over 0.5 assists ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Canada is the favorite, but how will the team perform, and what can we expect from a Swedish team that has NHL talent on its roster?
While this tournament has more fog and unknowns than swamps in the tropics, I feel as confident as Jalen Hurts did after the Super Bowl that McDavid will be able to make one assist against the Swedes.
That's a very valuable bet, as betting on McDavid's one assist in the NHL usually costs a lot more.
It looks like McDavid will play alongside Marner and Sam Reinhart. If Marner is more of an assist guy, Reinhart is a pure triggerman.
Plus, McDavid will be on the power play. Lock in that bet, and the $10 win is $7.81. And while we're on the subject, I'm betting McDavid will be the tournament's top scorer in our early rounds.
Player Predictions for Canada vs Sweden
Mitch Marner over 0.5 assists ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thanks to the plus odds, I like this Marner bet as much as I like the McDavid bet. Marner has 55 assists in 54 games, which is third behind Nathan MacKinnon and Nikita Kucherov. He's even more of a pure assist man than potential teammate McDavid and should make at least one assist.
He's had at least one assist in 35 of 54 games, which is 65%. Marner will also get power play time, and I expect him to join McDavid in scoring at least one point.
While Canada's promising 1A lineup is reminiscent of the superhero lineup from Avengers: Endgame, this trio is just one piece of Canada's explosive offensive puzzle. That's why I bet on the Over in my prediction.
Best Odds: +102 | Estimated Probability: 49.50%.
Filip Forsberg Over 0.5 points ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Forsberg is simply blazing hot in the NHL. He has 34 points in his last 24 games and is fourth in points per game (1.42) over that span. His 10-game streak ended a few weeks ago, in which he scored 19 points. Forsberg is the main reason the Nashville Predators are scoring the most goals per game (3.13) since Dec. 14.
It looks like he will play on the same line as Adrian Kempe and Elias Pettersson, providing enough firepower to trouble the Canadian defense. He should also play on the Swedes' best power play line, which increases the likelihood that he will score at least one point.
A win on a $10 bet will yield a profit of $10.20.
Best odds: +102 | Estimated probability: 49.50%.
Odds for Canada vs Sweden
| Market | Canada | Sweden |
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | -250 | +200 |
| Puck line | -1.5 (-105) | +1.5 (-135) |
| Over/Under | Over 5.5 goals (-140) | Under 5.5 (+110) |
When will the Canada vs Sweden match take place?
When: Wednesday, Feb. 12.
Puck drop: 8:00 p.m. ET
Where: Bell Centre (Montreal, Quebec)
How to watch: Sportsnet, TNT
Favorite: Canada
