The 2026 Winter Olympics are set to wrap up on Sunday with the finale that everybody wanted to see. The United States of America will face Canada in the men’s hockey gold medal game. This is what the whole tournament has led up to. The two best teams in the world are going toe to toe in a 4 Nations Face-Off Finale rematch. Both teams have improved since that meeting and swept their way through the first five games of the Olympics. Now, it’s time to go to battle for a gold medal. These bets will be in play on Sunday morning.
Brady Tkachuk and his brother Matthew have both been vocal about how much it means to represent their country on the Olympic stage. They know how important this game is. Their father, Keith, never captured a gold medal, only winning silver at Salt Lake City in 2002. Brady is averaging 2.8 shots on goal per game, but expect an uptick due to the magnitude of this game. He will be firing the puck. The younger Tkachuk brother had a goal against Canada in the 4 Nations finale. Expect to feel his presence in this game.
At 19 years old, Macklin Celebrini has been tearing up the Olympic stage. He leads the tournament in goals with five. That is a goal per game average. He’s second in points with 10 behind his linemate, Connor McDavid. Celebrini is launching 4.4 shots on goal per game, and if Sidney Crosby is still battling his injury, somebody will have to step up for Canada. The youngest player to ever wear a Canadian Olympic jersey could have a huge impact in the gold medal game.
As usual, Connor McDavid has been fantastic in Milan. He leads the tournament with 13 points in five games, averaging 2.6 points per game. The line of McDavid, Celebrini, and Nathan MacKinnon has combined for 30 points and 15 goals in five games. Captain Crosby could still be hobbled, leaving it up to McDavid to save the day for Canada. He came through with the golden goal at the 4 Nations Face-Off. He will have to come up big for his country again, but this time the gold medal is on the line.
Jake Guentzel has been oddly quiet through the first five games of the Olympics. He has 11 shots on goal, but only one goal to show for it. Big Game Jake is due for a huge goal in Milan. In the first meeting with Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off, Guentzel found the back of the net twice in the USA’s win. If the United States wants to come home wrapped in gold, the depth will have to contribute. Guentzel needs to show up in the biggest game of the tournament.
Quinn Hughes has been the United States best player at the Olympics. He leads them with seven points in five games, tallying one goal and six assists. His lone goal came against Sweden, where he single-handedly beat them in overtime. An interesting wrench that Hughes throws into this game is that he wasn’t a part of the USA team at the 4 Nations. If his play continues at this level, he could be the difference in this matchup. His impact will be felt on Sunday morning in the biggest game of his life.
After the battles at the 4 Nations Face-Off, there is no love lost between these two countries. This is going to be a game for the ages. The United States is looking for revenge and its first gold medal since 1980. Canada is eager to prove that hockey belongs to them, and always will. This five-leg parlay comes in at +3500 on DraftKings. That can turn $5 into $180 if it hits. The boost on DraftKings can bring it up to +4200 for more winnings. Best-on-best Olympic hockey is back, and it is awesome.
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