Canada vs. Sweden Prediction, Betting Odds, and Our Best Bet

The 4 Nations Face-Off gets underway tonight with a huge showdown between Canada and Sweden at the Bell Centre in Montreal. This tournament is the return of best-on-best international hockey for the first time in 8 years, and both teams are stacked with some of the best NHL stars.

Canada enters this game as the clear favorites. With their offensive firepower and depth giving them the edge, they’re looking like they’ll take this game from the beginning. Sweden, however, has a good mix of experience and youth which can go a long way. Along with strong goaltending, we’re not so sure we should count them out of this game just yet.

With a high-scoring battle expected for tonight’s matchup, we’re breaking down the odds, analysis, and our best bet for the 4 Nations Face-Off opener.

Canada vs. Sweden Betting Odds

A quick look at the odds shows that Canada is a strong favorite, but we think the best value lies in betting them to win in regulation at -238 rather than the standard moneyline. The odds aren’t that great for the sports bettors, but it feels like a quick win. The total is set at 5.5 goals, with the over slightly favored, telling us that this might not be the high-scoring game that most expect.

Below is the rosters for each of the teams in the matchup.

Canada’s Depth and Firepower

Team Canada boasts an unbelievable lineup. Between Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, and Mitch Marner leading the charge, they look absolutely dominant. The projected forward lines for tonight’s game have an incredible mix of speed, skill, and finishing ability all of which will make life extremely difficult for Sweden’s defense.

The blue line looks equally as impressive. Cale Makar, Shea Theodore, and Drew Doughty will be providing some elite puck-moving and shutdown abilities.

The only potential question mark we have is in the crease. Jordan Binnington is getting the start for tonight’s game and though he’s a solid goalie, he’s not necessarily on the level of Sweden’s options.

Sweden’s Strengths

Sweden is led by top NHL talent as well which includes Elias Pettersson, Filip Forsberg, William Nylander, and Mika Zibanejad. Their offensive group has plenty of skill, but they really lack the same game-breaking ability as Canada’s top forwards. That’s not to say they can’t show up, work better together, and get the win.

Defensively, Sweden will rely on Victor Hedman, Erik Karlsson, and Rasmus Dahlin. This is a strong trio that will need to be at their best to slow down Canada’s insane offensive attack.

Goaltending is Sweden’s biggest advantage. Filip Gustavsson is likely to start between the pipes, and he has been playing well for the Minnesota Wild. In fact, he’s won 4 of his last 5 games for the Wild. If Linus Ullmark gets the nod, it could be a risk, as he hasn’t played much since recovering from an injury.

Will Sweden have what it takes to slow down one of the best Canadian teams we’ve seen? It’s a tall order, but that’s not to say they don’t have their share of stars to get the job done.

Prediction and Best Bet

Canada simply has too much speed, skill, and depth for Sweden to contend with.

Sweden’s goaltending might keep this close for a while, but Canada’s offensive pressure will eventually break through and we’re sure the Canadians will keep the pressure on with a high shot volume. With McDavid, Crosby, and MacKinnon leading the charge, it’s hard to see Sweden keeping pace for a full 60 minutes.

• HelloRookie’s Prediction: Canada 4, Sweden 2
• Best Bet: Canada to Win in Regulation (-238)

Despite the solid Canadian roster, Sweden should put up a fight. However, we think that Canada’s attack will be too much to get the win. We’re expecting a fast-paced game with plenty of scoring chances, making the Over 5.5 (-135) another strong play you might want to take.

No matter how it unfolds, this should be a fun, high-scoring start to the 4 Nations Face-Off, but Canada’s superior depth and firepower make them the right bet for your bet slip.