Although the United States is typically among the leaders in medal count at every Olympics, there are significantly fewer golds available during the Winter Games. For example, the country's all-time record is 10 golds at Salt Lake City in 2002...
US Olympic Figure Skating 2022: Top Men, Women Superstars, Uniforms and More
Feb 2, 2022
Nathan Chen competes in the men's free skate program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
The United States figure-skating contingent comes into the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing with some pressure to succeed.
The Americans left the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, with two bronze medals from the pairs and ice dancing events.
Three-time world champion Nathan Chen is the best American gold-medal hopeful on the figure-skating ice after a disappointing showing in South Korea.
The women's singles skaters face a tough task against a trio of Russians. Gold may not be in the cards, but they have potential to medal.
Similar outcomes could await the pairs and ice-dancing teams, who are not expected to chase for gold in Beijing.
The full U.S. Olympic figure-skating roster and uniforms can be found on TeamUSA.org.
Top Superstars
Nathan Chen
Nathan Chen carries the American gold-medal hopes on his shoulders in figure skating.
The 22-year-old experienced a tough skate in South Korea, which saw him to finish fifth.
Chen followed up that performance with three consecutive victories at the World Championships to install himself as the favorite in the men's singles event. He is also the six-time reigning United States men's champion and has placed high in every major event in which he's competed except for the Olympics.
He will face competition from 2018 gold medalist Yuzuru Hanyu and his Japanese compatriot Shoma Uno for the gold in Beijing.
If Chen wins, he will become the first American man to win the gold since Evan Lysacek in 2010. Lysacek broke a drought that dated back to 1988 with his triumph in Vancouver.
Karen Chen
Karen Chen was the highest-placing American female at the 2021 World Championships.
Chen earned the second fourth-place finish of her career at Worlds, finishing behind a trio of Russian skaters.
The 22-year-old took second at the U.S. Championships in January to confirm her spot on the Olympic team alongside Mariah Bell and Alysa Liu.
Chen is looking to become the first American medalist in the women's singles competition since Sasha Cohen earned silver in 2006.
However, it will be a tough task for Chen, Bell or Liu to win a medal because of how dominant the Russians have been in the event recently.
Russia swept the medal stand at the 2021 World Championships, and it took first and third in 2019. The Russians will compete under the Russian Olympic Committee name in Beijing because the Russian flag and anthem were banned following an investigation into a mass doping operation.
Chen can challenge for a silver or a bronze medal if she produces clean skates. She may have a chance at gold if she delivers the performance of her life and the Russian athletes slip up.
USA vs. Finland Women's Hockey Live Stream Schedule, Odds
Feb 2, 2022
United States' Hilary Knight (21) celebrates after scoring during the third period of a women's exhibition hockey game against Canada ahead of the Beijing Olympics Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2021, in Maryland Heights, Mo. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
The United States will open its gold-medal defense at the Winter Olympics on Thursday in Beijing.
Team USA will take the ice against Finland in the last of four games spread across the day. Making a solid first impression in a group that includes reigning world champion Canada will be imperative.
When: Thursday, Feb. 3 at 8:10 a.m. ET
Watch: USA Network
Live Stream: Peacock
Odds (via DraftKings): United States -4000 (bet $4000 to win $100); Finland +1100 (bet $100 to win $1,100)
Finland and the United States were also drawn into the same group four years ago. Team USA was a 3-1 winner thanks to goals from Monique Lamoureux-Morando, Kendall Coyne Schofield and Dani Cameranesi.
Then the U.S. swept aside the Finns 5-0 in the semifinals.
The same story played out at the 2021 Women's World Championship. The United States prevailed 3-0 over Finland in the group stage and won by the same score in the semis. Those results epitomize Finland's history on the world stage. The country has collected three bronze medals in the Winter Olympics to go along with one silver and 13 bronzes in the World Championship.
Finland is consistently one of the top teams in Europe but time and again gets stymied by the United States or Canada in the knockout stages.
This isn't necessarily a battle-tested roster for head coach Pasi Mustonen, either. Lucas Aykroyd of the IIHF's official site noted how Finland has 13 first-time Olympians.
The United States, by comparison, has eight players participating in their first Winter Olympics. Hilary Knight is set to feature in her fourth Games, while the quartet of Coyne Schofield, Brianna Decker, Amanda Kessel and Lee Stecklein are embarking on their third trips.
Having missed the most recent World Championship, goaltender Maddie Rooney is back in the squad as well. She boasted a 1.16 goals-against average and a .946 save percentage in four starts at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
"When I think about Finland, it's a heck of a draw, but I think it's a perfect way to start," head coach Joel Johnson said. "It's going to be one of those situations where if we don't show up ready to go we're going to be in for a long day."
Finland is the third-ranked team in the world for a reason. With six goals, Petra Nieminen was the co-leading scorer alongside Canada's Melodie Daoust at the 2021 Worlds, and Anni Keisala acquitted herself nicely between the pipes in place of Noora Raty.
The United States is the heavy favorite for a reason. Team USA has had Finland's number of late, and generally speaking, the roster hasn't experienced much of a talent drain between the 2018 Winter Olympics and now.
But the U.S. will find itself the victim of a big upset if it starts off flat-footed Thursday.
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Olympic Hockey 2022: Which Countries are the Medal Favorites in Latest Odds?
Feb 2, 2022
TAMPA, FLORIDA - JULY 07: Eric Staal #21 of the Montreal Canadiens controls the puck during practice before Game Five of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final between the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena on July 07, 2021 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Florence Labelle/NHLI via Getty Images)
The 2022 men's Olympic hockey tournament in Beijing lost a bit of its intrigue when the NHL announced that its players wouldn't be participating.
But while many of the top stars in the world won't be playing, a number of teams still feature talented rosters. Below, we'll take a look at which teams are the favorites in the latest round of odds heading into the 2022 Games.
Russian Olympic Committee (+150)
While the ROC won't have current NHL players at its disposal, a number of talented players from the Kontinental Hockey League—widely regarded as the second-best league in the world—grace this roster, making the defending gold medalists the obvious favorite. KHL stars like Vadim Shipachev, Sergei Andronov and Mikhail Grigorenko, among others, make the ROC the prohibitive favorites.
Finland (+450)
Long-time NHL veterans Valtteri Filppula and Markus Granlund will lead a group that features a number of players who once played in the league, from Leo Komarov and Teemu Hartikainen to Sami Vatanen and Mikko Lehtonen. That experience makes the Fins a legitimate contender to upset the ROC and claim gold.
Sweden (+550)
A number of former NHL players, including Marcus Kruger, Anton Lander and Jacob de la Rose, headline a Swedish group that will be expected to make real noise in Beijing.
Canada (+700)
The Canadians are led by arguably the most decorated former NHL player in the Olympic tournament, five-time All-Star Eric Staal, and in total have 17 players with some level of NHL experience. But the Canadians also have some exciting young talent on the roster, from 2021 NHL draft top overall pick Owen Power to third overall pick Mason McTavish. Do not sleep on Team Canada.
Czech Republic (+900)
Former NHL players David Krejci and Vladimir Sobotka headline a group that includes seven players from the 2018 Olympic team.
Switzerland (+1400)
A number of Swiss players, including Denis Malgin, Gaetan Haas, Sven Andrighetto and Gregory Hoffmann, bring NHL pedigree to this squad.
United States (+1600)
The United States chose to go with potential over experience with this group, selecting 15 college players. Two first-round picks from the 2020 NHL draft, Jake Sanderson and Brendan Brisson, and the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, Matty Beniers, are the players to watch. Other talented college players like Brock Faber, Drew Helleson and Drew Commesso make the United States a dark-horse candidate worth taking a flier on.
Germany (+2000)
The Germans made the gold-medal game in 2018 and will be looking to replicate their silver-winning form. Returning players Marcel Noebels, Dominik Kahun and Patrick Hager—and Olympic newcomer Tom Kuhnhackl—are the headliners, though the Germans drew a tough Group A assignment (Canada, United States, China).
Slovakia (+5000)
Slovakia will be hoping that former NHL players like Martin Marincin, Kristian Pospisil and Marko Dano can lead them on a surprising run to the medal podium.
Denmark (+10000)
A number of former NHL veterans, including Frans Nielsen, Mikkel Boedker, Nicklas Jensen and Peter Regin headline Denmark's group. The Danes are a longshot, however, even in a wide-open field.
Latvia (+10000)
Kaspars Daugavins is the most experienced NHL player on Latvia's roster, with 91 career games for the Ottawa Senators and Boston Bruins, though he last played in the league in 2013. This is an unproven side that looks like one of the weaker teams in the tournament.
China (+70000)
The Chinese men have never appeared in an Olympic hockey tournament, and the group that will represent the country in these Games will consist almost entirely of foreign-born players. The majority of the team will come from Kunlun Red Star, a KHL team based in Beijing. With those foreign-born players living and playing in China, it allowed the country the opportunity to field a more competitive roster. Just not one competitive enough to get anywhere close to the medal podium in these Games.
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Olympic Figure Skating 2022: Medal Odds for Team USA and Top Countries
Feb 1, 2022
Nathan Chen competes in the men's free skate program during the U.S. Figure Skating Championships Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
The last four years of Nathan Chen's life have been centered on winning gold at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
The 22-year-old is one of the most decorated athletes in any sport going into the Games in Beijing.
Chen has won the last three men's figure skating world titles and is the clear favorite to take home the gold in the competition in China.
The American is also seeking redemption after he finished 17th in a tough short program four years ago in Pyeongchang, South Korea. He rebounded in the free skate to finish fifth, but he was expected to perform much better.
Kamila Valieva faces the same pressure in the women's event. She is expected to lead a dominant Russian contingent on the medal stand.
The Russian Olympic Committee took home three medals in 2018 and it will be expected to top the medal board in Beijing with three medal favorites in the women's competition.
Chen is a -400 favorite to win the men's competition at DraftKings Sportsbook. Odds for the women's competition have not been listed yet.
Olympic Figure Skating Odds
Men's Competition
Nathan Chen (United States) (-400; bet $400 to win $100)
Yuzuru Hanyu (Japan) (+550; bet $100 to win $550)
Shoma Uno (Japan) (+1000)
Yuma Kagiyama (Japan) (+1200)
Mark Kondratiuk (ROC) (+1200)
Pairs
Mishina/Galliamov (ROC) (+100)
Sui Wenjing/Han Cong (China) (+175)
Tarasova/Morozov (ROC) (+400)
Boikova/Kozlovskii (ROC) (+600)
James/Radford (Canada) (+2000)
Ice Dancing
Papadakis/Cizeron (France) (-250)
Sinitsina/Katsalapov (ROC) (+200)
Gilles/Poirier (Canada) (+1100)
Hubbell/Donohue (United States) (+1400)
Chock/Bates (United States) (+1600)
Preview
The American medal focus in figure skating will all be on Chen, who is the largest favorite in the eyes of the oddsmakers for the listed events.
The Salt Lake City native won the 2021 World Championships in Stockholm, Sweden, last March ahead of the Japanese trio of Yuzuru Hanyu, Yuma Kagiyama and Shoma Uno.
Chen has taken gold at the last three World Championships, so he has plenty of experience skating against top competition at the best events in the world.
However, he has to avoid a slip-up like he faced in the short program in Pyeongchang, South Korea, four years ago. A bad display in Beijing could again cost him a medal.
Japan is expected to take at least two of the three men's medals because of its fantastic trio of skaters.
A gold medal is possible for Hanyu, Kagiyama or Uno if they deliver the performance of their lives and Chen experiences even the slightest struggle.
The Russian Olympic Committee should come away with the most medals across all of the figure skating events.
Valieva is considered the favorite to win the women's event, and the Russians have two other skaters with gold-medal potential in Anna Shcherbakova and Alexandra Trusova.
Shcherbakova is the world champion in the women's discipline, and she should battle with Valieva for gold.
The ROC also has three of the four favored duos for the pairs event, with at least two medals expected from the event.
The French pair of Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron are strongly fancied to win the ice dance competition.
The United States' best chance to win a medal outside of Chen should come in the ice dancing. Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue finished second at the 2021 World Championships, but the French duo were not present at that competition. A silver or bronze is possible for the American pair.
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2022 Winter Olympics: Top Athletes, Event Schedule and Medal History
Feb 1, 2022
First-placed Kamila Valieva of Russia poses for photos during the awarding ceremony for the women's competition at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships in Tallinn, Estonia, Jan. 15, 2022. (Photo by Sergei Stepanov/Xinhua via Getty Images)
Only three days remain until the formal start of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
As with the last Summer Olympics in Tokyo, organizers have made special accommodations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most notably, the showcase will lack its usual grandeur with limits on the number of spectators in attendance for each event.
Norway will look to lead the field once again after collecting the most overall medals (39) and tying Germany for the most golds (14) four years ago in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for Friday, but action in Beijing will actually begin Wednesday as the curling and luge competitions get underway.
Here's a quick preview for this year's Winter Games:
*Nordic Combined Ski Jumping (Men's Normal Hill Individual)
*Snowboard (Women's Snowboard Slopestyle)
*Speed Skating (Men's 5,000m)
Monday, Feb. 7
*Alpine Skiing (Women's Giant Slalom)
*Biathlon (Women's 15km Individual)
Curling
*Figure Skating (Team Event)
Freestyle Skiing
Ice Hockey
Luge
Nordic Combined
*Short Track Speed Skating (Women's 500m and Men's 1,000m)
Skeleton
*Ski Jumping (Mixed Team)
*Snowboard (Men's Snowboard Slopestyle)
*Speed Skating (Women's 1,500m)
Tuesday, Feb. 8
*Alpine Skiing (Men's Super-G)
*Biathlon (Men's 20km Individual)
*Cross-Country Skiing (Men's Sprint Free and Women's Sprint Free)
*Curling (Mixed Doubles)
Figure Skating
Freestyle
*Skiing (Women's Freeski Big Air)
Ice Hockey
*Luge (Women's Singles)
Nordic Combined
Skeleton
*Snowboard (Women's Parallel Giant Slalom and Men's Parallel Giant Slalom)
*Speed Skating (Men's 1,500m)
Wednesday, Feb. 9
*Alpine Skiing (Women's Slalom)
Curling
*Freestyle Skiing (Men's Freeski Big Air)
Ice Hockey
*Luge (Doubles)
*Nordic Combined (Individual Gundersen Normal Hill/10km)
*Short Track Speed Skating (Men's 1,500m)
Skeleton
Ski Jumping
*Snowboard (Women's Snowboard Cross)
Thursday, Feb. 10
*Alpine Skiing (Men's Alpine Combined)
Bobsleigh
*Cross-Country Skiing (Women's 10km Classic)
Curling
*Figure Skating (Men's Single Skating)
*Freestyle Skiing (Mixed Team Aerials)
Ice Hockey
*Luge (Team Relay)
Skeleton
Ski Jumping
*Snowboard (Men's Snowboard Cross and Women's Snowboard Halfpipe)
*Speed Skating (Women's 5,000m)
Friday, Feb. 11
*Alpine Skiing (Women's Super-G)
*Biathlon (Women's 7.5km Sprint)
Bobsleigh
*Cross-Country Skiing (Men's 15km Classic)
Curling
Ice Hockey
*Short Track Speed Skating (Women's 1,000m)
*Skelton (Men) Ski Jumping
*Snowboard (Men's Snowboard Halfpipe)
*Speed Skating (Men's 10,000m)
Saturday, Feb. 12
Alpine Skiing
*Biathlon (Men's 10km Sprint)
Bobsleigh
*Cross-Country Skiing (Women's 4x5km Relay)
Curling
Figure Skating
Ice Hockey
Nordic Combined
*Skeleton (Women)
*Ski Jumping (Men's Large Hill Individual)
*Snowboard (Mixed Team Snowboard Cross)
*Speed Skating (Men's 500m)
Sunday, Feb. 13
*Alpine Skiing (Men's Giant Slalom)
*Biathlon (Men's 12.5km Pursuit and Women's 10km Pursuit)
Bobsleigh
*Cross-Country Skiing (Men's 4x10km Relay)
Curling
*Freestyle Skiing
Ice Hockey
Nordic Combined
*Short Track Speed Skating (Women's 3,000m Relay and Men's 500m)
Ski Jumping
*Speed Skating (Women's 500m)
Monday, Feb. 14
Alpine Skiing
*Bobsleigh (Women's Monobob)
Curling
*Figure Skating (Ice Dance)
*Freestyle Skiing (Women's Aerials and Women's FreeskiSlopestyle)
Ice Hockey
Nordic Combined
*Ski Jumping (Men's Team)
Snowboard
Tuesday, Feb. 15
*Alpine Skiing (Women's Downhill)
*Biathlon (Men's 4x7.5km Relay)
Curling
Figure Skating
*Freestyle Skiing (Men's FreeskiSlopestyle)
Ice Hockey
*Nordic Combined (Individual Gundersen Large Hill/10km)
*Snowboard (Women's Snowboard Big Air and Men's Snowboard Big Air)
*Speed Skating (Women's Team Pursuit and Men's Team Pursuit)
Wednesday, Feb. 16
*Alpine Skiing (Men's Slalom)
*Biathlon (Women's 4x6km Relay)
Bobsleigh
*Cross-Country Skiing (Men's Team Sprint Classic and Women's Team Sprint Classic)
Curling
*Freestyle Skiing (Men's Aerials)
*Ice Hockey (Women)
Nordic Combined
*Short Track Speed Skating (Women's 1,500m and Men's 5,000 Relay)
Thursday, Feb. 17
*Alpine Skiing (Women's Alpine Combined)
Bobsleigh
Curling
Figure Skating (Women's Single Skating)
*Freestyle Skiing (Women's Ski Cross)
*Ice Hockey (Women)
*Nordic Combined (Team Gundersen Large Hill/4x5km)
*Speed Skating (Women's 1,000m)
Friday, Feb. 18
*Biathlon (Men's 15km Mass Start)
Bobsleigh
*Curling (Men)
Figure Skating
*Freestyle Skiing (Men's Ski Cross and Women's FreeskiHalfpipe)
Ice Hockey
*Speed Skating (Men's 1,000m)
Saturday, Feb. 19
*Alpine Skiing (Mixed Team Parallel)
*Biathlon (Women's 12.5km Mass Start)
*Bobsleigh (2-Woman)
*Cross-Country Skiing (Men's 50km Mass Start Free)
*Curling (Women and Men) Figure Skating (Pair Skating)
*Freestyle Skiing (Men's FreeskiHalfpipe) Ice Hockey (Men)
*Speed Skating (Women's Mass Start and Men's Mass Start)
Sunday, Feb. 20
*Bobsleigh (4-Man)
*Cross-Country Skiing (Women's 30km Mass Start Free)
*Curling (Women)
*Ice Hockey (Men)
* denotes medal event(s)
All-Time Medal Count
Norway (368)
United States (305)
Germany (259)
Austria (232)
Canada (199)
Soviet Union (194)
Finland (167)
Sweden (158)
Switzerland (153)
Netherlands (130)
Athletes to Watch
Nathan Chen
BEIJING, CHINA - JANUARY 30: Nathan Chen of Team United States skates during a practice session ahead of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at the Capital Indoor Stadium practice rink on January 30, 2022 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/G
Nathan Chen will be looking to atone for a fifth-place finish in the men's competition at the 2018 Winter Olympics.
The 22-year-old posted the highest score in the free skate, but he was undone by a fall in the short program that dropped him to 17th before the second stage of the event. He did, however, help the United States collect a bronze in the team competition.
Chen is the three-time reigning world champion, and he became the first male skater since Dick Button in 1952 to win six straight gold medals at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in January.
Evan Lysacek (2010) is the only American skater to win men's singles gold after Scott Hamilton and Brian Boitano went back-to-back in 1984 and 1988, respectively.
As long as he avoids another catastrophe on the ice, there's a great chance Chen will join that group.
Kamila Valieva
Kamila Valieva doesn't turn 16 until April, yet she might be standing atop the medal podium when the women's singles competition concludes.
The Russian debuted in the senior Grand Prix circuit in October at Skate Canada and set world records in the free skate (180.89) and overall score (265.08) categories. She proceeded to win gold at the European Figure Skating Championships, and her short program score of 90.45 was another world record.
The question isn't whether Valieva can win gold in Beijing but rather whether she can put together a history-making performance while making it happen.
USA's Mikaela Shiffrin competes in the Women's Super G as part of the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italian Alps, on January 23, 2022. (Photo by Jure MAKOVEC / AFP) (Photo by JURE MAKOVEC/AFP via Getty Images)
Mikaela Shiffrin's reputation precedes her. She was a gold medalist in the slalom at the 2014 Winter Olympics before collecting gold and silver medals in Pyeongchang. She is also a six-time gold medalist in the World Championships.
The 26-year-old has already assembled a resume worthy of legendary proportions. Her 47 wins in slalom events are the most ever in one discipline.
In Beijing, Shiffrin's head-to-head battle with Petra Vlhova should be a lot of fun to watch. The Slovak was runner-up in women's alpine combined at the Alpine World Ski Championships 2021 but has bested the American before on the big stage.
Canada Olympic Hockey Team 2022: Men's, Women's Starting Rosters, Top Subs
Feb 1, 2022
EDMONTON, AB - JANUARY 05: Goaltender Devon Levi #1 of Canada defends Trevor Zegras #9 of the United States during the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship gold medal game at Rogers Place on January 5, 2021 in Edmonton, Canada. (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)
Canada has always been considered the world's preeminent force in both men's and women's hockey, but its players will be put to the test at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, which gets underway Wednesday.
On the men's side, NHL players once again won't be competing in the tournament—this time because of COVID-19's impact on the 2021-22 season. So former NHLers and college players mostly comprise Team Canada, leaving it as the fourth-favorite to win gold at 7-1.
As for the women, Canada finished with a silver medal at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, falling 3-2 to the United States in a shootout. Before 2018, the Canadian women had won four straight gold medals. Canada is the 18-19 second-favorite to claim gold in China.
Before the tournaments begin, here is a look at Team Canada's rosters, in addition to a look at which players to keep an eye out for.
Canada Olympic Men's Hockey Roster
Devon Levi, goalie, Northeastern University (NCAA)
Edward Pasquale, goalie, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)
Mat Robinson, defenseman, SKA Saint Petersburg (KHL)
Tyler Wotherspoon, defenseman, Utica Comets (AHL)
Daniel Carr, forward, HC Lugano (NL)
Adam Cracknell, forward, Bakersfield Condors (AHL)
David Desharnais, forward, HC Fribourg-Gotteron (NL)
Landon Ferraro, forward, Kolner Haie (DEL)
Josh Ho-Sang, forward, Toronto Marlies (AHL)
Corban Knight, forward, Avangard Omsk (KHL)
Jack McBain, forward, Boston College (NCAA)
Mason McTavish, forward, Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
Eric O'Dell, forward, HC Dynamo Moscow (KHL)
Eric Staal, forward, Iowa Wild on PTO (AHL)
Ben Street, forward, EHC Red Bull Munchen (DEL)
Adam Tambellini, forward, Rogle BK (SHL)
Jordan Weal, forward, Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)
Daniel Winnik, forward, Geneve-Servette HC (NL)
Projected Men's Lineup
G: Devon Levi
D: Owen Power
D: Jason Demers
LW: Daniel Carr
C: Eric Staal
RW: Josh Ho-Sang
Top subs: Mason McTavish, Adam Cracknell, Jordan Weal
Canada Olympic Women's Hockey Roster
Kristen Campbell, goalie, PWHPA
Ann-Renée Desbiens, goalie, PWHPA
Emerance Maschmeyer, goalie, PWHPA
Erin Ambrose, defenseman, PWHPA
Ashton Bell, defenseman, University of Minnesota-Duluth
Renata Fast, defenseman, PWHPA
Jocelyne Larocque, defenseman, PWHPA
Ella Shelton, defenseman, PWHPA
Claire Thompson, defenseman, PWHPA
Micah Zandee-Hart, defenseman
Emily Clark, forward, PWHPA
Melodie Daoust, forward, PWHPA
Sarah Fillier, forward, Princeton University
Brianne Jenner, forward, PWHPA
Rebecca Johnston, forward, PWHPA
Emma Maltais, forward, Ohio State
Sarah Nurse, forward, PWHPA
Marie-Philip Poulin, forward, PWHPA
Jamie Lee Rattray, forward, PWHPA
Jillian Saulnier, forward, PWHPA
Natalie Spooner, forward, PWHPA
Laura Stacey, forward, PWHPA
Blayre Turnbull, forward, PWHPA
Projected Women's Lineup
G: Ann-Renee Desbiens
D: Jocelyne Larocque
D: Renata Fast
LW: Emily Clark
C: Marie-Philip Poulin
RW: Brianne Jenner
Top subs: Melodie Daoust, Natalie Spooner, Sarah Fillier
Breaking Down Top Canadian Players
Eric Staal
No one on the Canada men's roster has had a more impressive hockey career than Eric Staal.
The 37-year-old was drafted second overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2003 and went on to have an impressive 17-year NHL career. He spent 11-and-a-half seasons with the Hurricanes, most notably helping the team to its first Stanley Cup in 2006.
Staal tallied 322 goals and 453 assists for 775 points in 909 games with the Hurricanes. He is the franchise's all-time leader in games played, goals, assists, points, power-play goals, short-handed goals and game-winning goals.
Carolina traded Staal to the New York Rangers during the 2015-16 campaign. He tallied three goals and three assists for six points in 20 games for the franchise before signing a three-year deal with the Minnesota Wild as a free agent that summer.
Staal spent four seasons with the Wild, tallying 111 goals and 129 points for 240 points in 311 games. He spent the 2020-21 season, his most recent in the NHL, split between the Buffalo Sabres and Montreal Canadiens, tallying a combined 13 points in 53 games.
He signed a PTO with the AHL's Iowa Wild on Jan. 13, giving him an opportunity to work back into playing shape ahead of the Olympics. He has two goals and three assists in four games.
Given his NHL experience and ability to rack up points, Staal should serve as one of Canada's top offensive weapons, and his performance could be a determining factor in whether the Canadians take home gold.
Marie-Philip Poulin
Marie-Philip Poulin is undoubtedly the most talented player on the Canada women's roster. She is competing in her fourth Olympics after winning gold in 2010 and 2014 and silver in 2018.
The 30-year-old rose to fame during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, during which she scored the overtime winner in the gold-medal game against the United States. She then tallied three goals and three assists in five games en route to a silver medal at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.
Since 2018, Poulin has played in the now-discontinued CWHL for the Les Canadiennes de Montreal and more recently for Montreal in the PWHPA.
After winning silver in 2018, Canada's women have vengeance on their minds, and Poulin is expected to be a driving force in the team's quest to bring a gold medal back to Canada.
In a case of history repeating itself, Poulin scored the overtime game-winner when Canada faced the U.S. in last summer's IIHF Women's World Championship final. She is one of the most clutch players in the history of the game, and with the United States returning players such as Kendall Coyne Schofield, Hilary Knight, Brianna Decker and Lee Stecklein, Canada will need her to be on her game.
Owen Power and Devon Levi
While there are several college hockey players on the Canada men's roster, none stack up quite like Owen Power, who was drafted first overall by the Buffalo Sabres in 2021.
Power is in his second season with the Michigan Wolverines. After tallying three goals and 13 assists in 26 games during his freshman season, he has notched three goals and 23 assists through 24 games in the 2021-22 campaign.
The 19-year-old represented Canada at the most recent World Juniors, tallying three goals and two assists in two games before the tournament was shut down because of a COVID-19 outbreak.
In addition to Power, Devon Levi is one of the most exciting young goaltenders in hockey.
The 20-year-old is in his first season at Northeastern University, where he has helped backstop the Huskies to a 16-8-1 record. He has a 1.55 goals-against average and .948 save percentage through 24 games.
Levi also represented Canada at the 2021 World Juniors, where he was named the tournament's best goalie after recording a 0.75 GAA, .964 save percentage and three shutouts in seven games.
While Power will be expected to help lock down the blue line, Levi will be tasked with keeping some of the world's best shooters off the scoresheet. While these two are still young, they shouldn't be overlooked.
Odds via DraftKings.
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Olympics Predictions 2022: Medal Odds for USA, Russian Athletes and More
Jan 30, 2022
United States' Mikaela Shiffrin speeds down the course during the first run of an alpine ski women's World Cup slalom, in Schladming, Austria, Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Marco Trovati)
While much of the sporting world is focused on this weekend's NFL games and the resulting Super Bowl matchup, a more global event is on the horizon. The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing is set to kick off on Friday, February 4, with its opening ceremony.
NBC will broadcast the opening ceremony live at 6:30 a.m. ET
Welcome to Beijing! . 25 foreign heads of state or heads of government and 7 heads of international organizations will attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Winter Olympics! . Together for a shared future! . pic.twitter.com/CVc3vlXyGy
While the opening ceremony will certainly be a spectacle and draw a huge audience, sports fans will be eager to watch events like curling, skiing, figure skating and, of course, hockey. While athletes from Team USA and the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) are expected to fare well in the winter games, they're not projected to lead the medal count.
According to Gracenote, Norway is projected to lead the count with 22 golds and 45 total medals. The ROC is projected to finish second with 32 medals and 11 golds. Germany is projected to round out the top three with 12 golds and 25 total medals.
Team USA is projected to finish fourth with 22 medals and seven golds.
These projections are similar to the early gold-medals odds currently found at FanDuel.
Odds for Most Gold Medals
Norway: 10-37
Germany: 15-2
ROC: 100-1
Canada: 150-1
USA: 180-1
Netherlands: 500-1
Gold Medal Predictions
Norway: 20
ROC: 12
Germany: 10
USA: 8
Canada: 6
Sweden: 6
The ROC is the favorite in men's hockey. According to FanDuel, the ROC is favored by 1.5 points over Switzerland on February 9 and has the best odds of winning the entire event.
Team USA is among the favorites in women's hockey, along with Canada.
Led by forward Hilary Knight—who is making her fourth Olympics appearance and helped bring home gold at the 2018 games—the U.S. women's team has a great chance of winning back-to-back gold medals in the event.
The U.S. and Canada are scheduled to face one another in the final game of pool play, which could be an early preview of the gold-medal game.
Team USA skier Mikaela Shiffrin is among the early favorites for alpine skiing women's giant slalom. One of the top American athletes headed to Beijing, Shiffrin is expected to medal, though she was recently forced to hit the pause button on her training because of COVID-19.
"I've never taken more than four days off of skiing in the season in my whole career," Shiffrin said, per Barry Svrluga of the Washington Post. "I think, in my entire life, I've never done that. I was like: Oh, my gosh, you've got to be kidding me."
Shiffrin was back on the mountain in January, winning the World Cup slalom in Austria.
Women's Giant Slalom Odds
Mikaela Shiffrin, USA: 3-1
Sara Hector, Sweden: 19-5
Tessa Worley, France: 5-1
Lara Gut-Behrami, Switzerland: 13-2
Marta Bassino, Italy: 13-2
The return of the Winter Olympics means that curling will be back in the spotlight for the first time since 2018. The broom-sweeping, stone-sliding sport is largely a novelty in non-Olympic years but makes for an entertaining watch on the world stage.
Great Britain and Canada are the early favorites in the men's and women's events, respectively
Men's Curling Odds
Great Britain: 17-10
Canada: 23-10
Sweden: 43-10
Switzerland: 17-2
USA: 11-1
Italy: 28-1
Women's Curling Odds
Canada: 5-2
Sweden: 27-10
Great Britain: 17-5
Switzerland: 9-1
Japan: 12-1
USA: 14-1
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Winter Olympics 2022 Schedule: NBC TV Coverage and Live Stream Features
Jan 30, 2022
A technician is dwarfed by a large screen with a Beijing 2022 logo on it while working at the National Aquatics Center, a venue for curling events at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
The Olympics went to China for the first time in 2008, when the Summer Games were held in Beijing. Now it's time for the Winter Games to be held in the city.
The start of the 2022 Winter Olympics is drawing near, and the opening ceremony is set for Friday. Before that, several sports will begin play, with the curling, hockey and freestyle skiing events getting underway Wednesday and Thursday.
This will be the second straight Olympics to be affected by the coronavirus pandemic. The 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo were postponed for a year, and while the 2022 Winter Olympics will take place as scheduled, attendance will be limited.
Here's everything else you need to know as the start of the Winter Games quickly approaches.
2022 Winter Olympics Information
Dates: Feb. 2-20
TV: NBC, USA Network
Live Stream: Peacock
Schedule: A full broadcast schedule can be found at NBCOlympics.com.
Preview
At the 2018 Winter Olympics, Norway made history by winning 39 medals. That broke the record for most medals won at a single Winter Games, which was previously held by the United States (37 in 2010). And the Norwegians also captured 14 golds, tied with Germany for the most that year.
It seems that Norway is set to have another strong showing at the Winter Olympics. In Gracenote's most recent medal projections, it predicts that the Norwegians will set a new record by winning 45 medals, including 22 golds.
Gracenote's projections have the Russian Olympic Committee (32 medals), Germany (25), the United States (22) and Canada (22) rounding out the top five.
Of course, these are merely predictions, and another country could be atop the medal table come Feb. 20, when the closing ceremony takes place. However, Norway's track record at the Games suggests it is in a good position to enjoy more success.
The U.S. has fared well in recent Winter Games, which included its historic showing in 2010. Since then, it ranked second with 28 medals in 2014 and then collected 24 medals in 2018, the fourth-most at those Olympics.
Among the top American athletes to watch will be alpine skier Mikaela Shiffrin. The 26-year-old has won gold at each of the past two Winter Games, and she has a good opportunity to keep that streak going considering she's aiming to compete in five events in Beijing.
Figure skater Nathan Chen could also have an impressive showing for the U.S. The 22-year-old has never claimed Olympic gold, but he's won six straight U.S. championships and three straight world championships, so he appears poised to break through in Beijing.
Although Olympic competitions will begin Wednesday and the opening ceremony is set for Friday, there won't be any medals awarded until Saturday. From then, there will be medals up for grabs every day through the end of the Games.
In less than a week, the 2022 Winter Olympics will be underway in Beijing. The top skiers, skaters and more from around the world will be converging in one place to compete for medals at the first Winter Games to be held in China's capital city...
