Olympic hockey predictions

With the Winter Olympics just underway, let’s take a look at the upcoming hockey tournaments and predict winners for the men and women.

Max’s predictions:

Men’s Tournament:

As an American, this hurts. But Canada is way too talented. Sidney Crosby, despite being 38 years old, still has not found a way to slow down. On the younger side, Macklin Celebrini is continuing to make history. And, by the way, Team Canada has the best player in the world: Connor McDavid. While I do think it will be close, I see Canada bringing home the gold in a 4-3 win over the United States.

Women’s Tournament:

I think that the US Women’s team is coming in with a wealth of talent this year. I think that the gold medal game will be between Canada and the United States. However, I think stars like Tessa Janecke will be too much for the Canadiens to handle, and the US will cruise to a 3-1 win and their first gold medal since 2022.

Jenny’s predictions:

Men’s tournament:

The return of NHL players to the Olympics changes things drastically, with every team in the league sending at least one player to Italy. The powerhouses of international hockey, Canada, the USA, Sweden, and Finland, are entirely composed of NHLers, except one player on Team Finland.

Those four teams are easy picks to be top contenders once again. The Czech Republic and Slovakia will likely be in the mix as well, with Slovakia taking bronze at the last games and the Czech Republic coming in fourth at the games prior.

Canada may be unstoppable in this tournament, with some of the top offensive players in the game, a dominant defense, and a healthy mix of tough guys. It’s hard to bet against Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Macklin Celebrini, Cale Makar, and frankly, the entire rest of the roster.

Goaltending will likely be an important factor. Both Binnington and Hellebuyck for Team Canada and Team USA could either steal or sell games. Binnington is fresh off the Four Nations win and has done well for Canada internationally, but currently has a .864 SV% in the NHL season.

Finland comes in as the defending gold-medalists. While the USA and Canada are significantly stronger and more competitive this year, Finland is likely to have a good tournament after their recent success.

Gold: Canada, Silver: USA, Bronze: Finland

Women’s tournament:

Once again, this tournament largely acts as a platform for a USA vs Canada showdown. In the seven Olympics women’s hockey has competed in, the final has been between Team Canada and Team USA in six.

Canada’s roster is entirely made up of PWHL players, and the USA is predominantly PWHL players with some collegiate-level players in the mix as well.

Although the USA dominated during the Rivalry Series and comes in as the top-ranked team, I think Canada will have the edge. Team USA is younger and less experienced, while Team Canada has dominated at the Olympics. The rivalry series will likely act as a wake-up call and motivate the team as they seek revenge.

With names like Sarah Nurse, Marie-Philip Poulin, and Natalie Spooner, Canada is an intimidating force on the ice. However, the USA has some equally impressive players in Hilary Knight, Kendall Coyne Schofield, and Taylor Heise.

While they are in Group B and had to participate in the qualification tournament this year, I think Sweden will make a good run. They have a strong roster with a mix of PWHL, SDHL, and high-caliber collegiate players. They have high expectations for this tournament, and anything less than a quarterfinal appearance would be considered a disappointment.

Gold: Canada, Silver: USA, Bronze: Sweden

Jacob’s predictions:

Men’s tournament
With the NHL back in Olympic competition for the first time since 2014, I have a hard time picking against the loaded Canadian squad.

Of the five times the NHL has sent players to the Olympics, Canada has won the gold medal three of those times (2002, 2010, 2014)

19 of their 25 players were on the gold-medal squad from the Four Nations Tournament one year ago.

The roster includes such high-profile names as Sidney Crosby, Connor McDavid, Macklin Celebrini, and Cale Makar.

Granted, I think Team USA also presents a challenge, returning much of their Four Nations squad that nearly beat the Canadians, including reigning NHL MVP Connor Hellebuyck, Auston Matthews, and the Tkachuk brothers (Matthew and Brady).

Also in the mix is Finland, which won gold at the 2022 Games in Beijing.

Gold: Canada, Silver: United States, Bronze: Finland

Women’s tournament

There’s a 99% chance the gold-medal game will be the United States vs. Canada.

This has been the matchup in every Olympics since women’s hockey was established as a sport in 1998, except 2006. Sweden defeated the Americans in a shootout to advance to the gold-medal game vs. Canada.

Team USA enters the tournament as the favorites despite not being the gold medalists in 2022. This is largely due to the four-game sweep they had over the Canadians just two months ago in the 2025 Rivalry Series.

Another thing to note is that this is the first Winter Olympics featuring players from the new Professional Women’s Hockey League. Team USA features 16 such players, while Team Canada’s entire roster hails from the PWHL.

Personally, I think Team USA will capture its third gold medal in women’s hockey, defeating the Canadians.

Gold: United States, Silver: Canada, Bronze: Sweden

Jack’s predictions:

Men's tournament

Canada enters as the favorite thanks to its unmatched depth and elite star power. With Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, Sydney Crosby, and Cale Makar, Canada can win in multiple ways and adjust to any style of play.

The United States is Canada’s closest challenger. Auston Matthews leads a fast, physical roster supported by Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, while Quinn Hughes and Charlie McAvoy anchor the defense. Strong goaltending could push the U.S. into gold-medal territory.

Sweden rounds out the podium favorites, built on structure and defense behind Victor Hedman and Rasmus Dahlin, with scoring from William Nylander.

Gold: Canada, Silver: U.S., Bronze: Sweden.

Women’s Tournament

The Women's Tournament once again centers on the USA-Canada rivalry, which continues to define the sport. This time, I give a slight edge to Team USA. Their depth, speed, and ability to maintain pressure across all lines make them well-suited for the tournament.

Canada remains a serious gold-medal threat, especially in tight, physical games where their experience and composure shine. A gold-medal win would not be surprising, but the margin between the two teams feels thinner than ever.

Outside the top two, Finland stands out as the most consistent challenger, relying on strong defensive structure and disciplined play to secure a likely bronze.

Gold: USA, Silver: Canada, Bronze: Finland

Max Malec is a first-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email mvm7264@psu.edu.

Jenny Karamus is a first-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email jrk6308@psu.edu.

Jacob Petrarca is a fourth-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email jap6840@psu.edu.

Jack Danetz is a fourth-year student majoring in media studies. To contact him, email jzd5987@psu.edu