USA Hockey’s disappointment at losing Thursday’s 4 Nations Face-Off final might be obscured by the fact that the tournament was a great advertisement for the sport.
Another display of top-notch international hockey is coming in about a year: The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
As part of our Michigan sports betting coverage, BetMichigan is already looking ahead with these odds on who might make the USA Olympic roster without having appeared at the 4 Nations event.
Pos., Player | Current NHL Team | Odds | Percent Chance |
F Tage Thompson | Buffalo Sabres | -275 | 73.3% |
F Clayton Keller | Utah Hockey Club | -200 | 66.7% |
F Cole Caufield | Montreal Canadiens | -135 | 57.4% |
F Jason Robertson | Dallas Stars | -105 | 51.2% |
F Alex DeBrincat | Detroit Red Wings | +110 | 47.6% |
G Thatcher Demko | Vancouver Canucks | +155 | 39.2% |
F Brock Boeser | Vancouver Canucks | +200 | 33.3% |
D Luke Hughes | New Jersey Devils | +250 | 28.6% |
F Matty Beniers | Seattle Kraken | +650 | 13.3% |
F Logan Cooley | Utah Hockey Club | +650 | 13.3% |
These odds were developed for BetMichigan.com, where the best MI sportsbook promo codes are available.
Among the forwards who might head to the Olympics that did not appear on the USA roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off, we have Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Sabres as the most likely pick, with -275 odds (or a 73.3% chance).
A bit father down the list we have Alex DeBrincat of the Detroit Red Wings with a 47.6% implied probability. That would equate to +110 odds at Michigan sportsbook apps if they offered this prop wager. DeBrincat, 27, is in the midst of his second season in Detroit after five years with the Chicago Blackhawks and one with the Ottawa Senators. He has 24 goals this season, just about on pace to match his career-high of 41 goals (he did that twice, in the 2018-19 season and again in 2021-22).
The top goaltender on our list is Thatcher Demko of the Vancouver Canucks, at +155 odds. Luke Hughes of the New Jersey Devils is the top defenseman on our board at +250 odds.
Our Detroit Red Wings betting guide will give you insight as the Stanley Cup playoffs get closer.
Before any of these players on our odds board can start thinking about packing for Italy next February, they have to beat out a player who represented the USA at 4 Nations, or fill in for an injured player.
At the 4 Nations event, USA defenseman Zach Werenski led all skaters with six points, all assists, over four tournament games including the 3-2 overtime loss to Canada in Thursday’s final at Boston’s TD Garden. American center Jack Eichel and Jake Guentzel had four points apiece; Guentzel had three goals while all of Eichel’s points came on assists.
Our NHL betting guide at BetMichigan.com will keep you in the loop as the NHL regular season resumes and the chase for the Stanley Cup playoffs gets hotter.
USA Today photo by David Kirouac
Author
Jim Tomlin writes and edits for BetMichigan.com. In 30 years as a journalist he has worked for publications such as the Tampa Bay Times, Saturday Tradition, Saturday Down South and FanRag. He now lends his sports and gambling expertise to BetMichigan among other websites.
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