Some people prefer to wait for the last minute for their 2024 IIHF World Championship predictions, but the odds are out, and I love getting in early. Most hockey betting sites cover the tournament, so let’s try to figure out who will win.
Below, I explore the latest odds and make my Ice Hockey World Championship predictions for this highly anticipated event in Czechia from May 10 to May 26!
Ice Hockey World Championship 2024 Betting Odds
The following IIHF 2024 betting odds were update May 11 and are courtesy of Betway:
| TEAM | American Odds | Decimal Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Sweden | +225 | 3.25 |
| Canada | +375 | 3.75 |
| USA | +400 | 4.00 |
| Czechia | +800 | 9.00 |
| Finland | +1000 | 11.00 |
| Switzerland | +1000 | 11.00 |
| Germany | +3000 | 31.00 |
| Slovakia | +3500 | 36.00 |
| Latvia | +8000 | 81.00 |
| Denmark | +20000 | 201.00 |
| Norway | +35000 | 351.00 |
According to the latest 2024 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship odds, Team Sweden (+225) is the the favorite to win. Canada was the leading favorite to win the tournament in the weeks leading up to it, but after a lackluster performance in game 1 where the Canadians barely knocked off Great Britain, Sweden has overtaken them as the odds-on favorite.
On April 3, Canada was +265 odds and as of May 8 their odd to win IIHF title sat at +300. With Canada’s odds of winning getting bigger, now might be a good time to bet on them if you’re confident they can improve for the playoff rounds.
Finland opened with the second-shortest price to win at +340 but now sit all the way down at 10-to-1 odds. Since then, USA and Czechia’s odds have surpassed Finland at the books.
IIHF 2024 Group A Preview and Predictions
- Switzerland
- Denmark
- Finland
- Austria
- Canada
- Norway
- Great Britain
- Czechia
Group A of the 2024 IIHF World Championship is absolutely loaded as opposed to Group B. Drawing a favorable group is all part of international competition, and getting this one was a nightmare draw for most teams.
Canada, Finland, and Czechia have three out of the top four odds to win the 2024 IIHF World Championship. They just so happen to be playing in the same group, so Group A will be a gauntlet of attrition.
The less talented teams are the most impacted by this draw. I don’t like guaranteeing locks, but Austria, Great Britain, Denmark, and Norway already look dead in the water. Thanks for showing up to take part in the festivities in Prague, but it’s over for these four!
Team Switzerland might have received the worst luck out of these countries. Despite a talent disadvantage, the Swiss typically bring their best form to international tournaments. They are sometimes good for an upset or two.
The team can still qualify because four countries will progress to the quarterfinals, but it’s highly likely for Switzerland to finish fourth and face the top team from Group B in the knockouts.
As for the top spot, I like Canada. The team is expected to bring a talented roster with them to Czechia. Most notably, the Chicago Blackhawks’ dynamic center Connor Bedard has confirmed that he will be playing in the tournament.
Now that Bedard has provided his stamp of approval, the clear advantage is with Canada in Group A. I have the favorite winning Group A, with Finland, Czechia, and Switzerland joining them for the next round of competition.
IIHF Group B Preview and Predictions
- France
- Germany
- Sweden
- Kazakhstan
- Latvia
- United States
- Poland
- Slovakia
Group B should be wide open between Sweden, the United States, and even Germany. According to the IIHF World Championship 2024 odds, Team Sweden has the best chance of qualifying from Group B.
Currently, at +450, Sweden has the third-best odds to win the gold medal. The next closest team is Team USA, with the price for the North Americans dropping from +650 to +450.
The United States was supposed to bring a weak group to the tournament, but their preliminary roster has impressed bettors. Several top American players are involved in the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs, but some key players are now out.
The Winnipeg Jets losing in the first round frees up the availability of Connor Hellebuyck and Kyle Connor. The Maple Leafs are facing elimination, but Auston Matthews has been ill, so he likely won’t go to Europe, though.
In addition to Hellebuyck and Connor, the team announced that Cole Caufield, Johnny Gaudreau, Dylan Larkin, and Brady Tkachuk are on board. You can see why USA’s IIHF odds have seen a notable jump on betting apps.
However, Team USA must wait for the Olympics to have all their firepower together. Without Matthews, Quinn Hughes, J.T. Miller, Matthew Tkachuk, and Thatcher Demko, the Swedes are in good shape in Group B.
I expect the Scandinavians to finish first, followed by the US. After these two, it’s going to be a massacre. Slovakia and Germany should be able to progress, but I wouldn’t rule out Kazakhstan or Poland’s hockey programs showing strides forward.
IIHF World Championship 2024 Pre-Tournament Favorites
Before proceeding to my IIHF World Championship 2024 predictions, let’s evaluate the top favorites to win the gold medal. With the NHL Playoffs currently underway, some teams are waiting for confirmation from players.
Following the NHL regular season, players will decide whether they’ll represent their country at the Ice Hockey World Championship or take time off to re-energize themselves for next season.
Also, players who have been eliminated in the early stages of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs will have the option of joining their team in Czechia.
Team Canada (+300)
The Canadians are the easy team pick as the betting favorite to win the World Championship. They’ve won the most gold medals in IIHF history with 28.
Since 2015, Canada has won four World Championship titles. As well as being a powerhouse hockey nation, the 2024 team is shaping up to have a strong roster in Czechia.
Projected Star Players
Canada will not have the luxury of sending Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Cale Makar to the World Championship. The Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche are on to the second round, so they can be ruled out.
Nevertheless, the Canadians have a deep and talented field of players to select from. Despite the likes of McDavid and MacKinnon missing, Canada will have rookie phenom Conor Bedard on their side.
Connor Bedard with the sweet pass to Jason Dickinson 🔥 pic.twitter.com/dD4axVYR9l
— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) April 2, 2024
The 19-year-old has dazzled audiences with his incredible ability in the 2023-24 season. Bedard has scored 21 goals and 37 assists in 61 games1.
Additionally, the New York Islanders’ Matt Barzal and Bo Horvat, who lost in the opening round of the playoffs, would provide Canada with a spark. Nick Suzuki, Mason McTavish, and Dylan Cozens would all be welcome additions to Team Canada, as well.
Sidney Crosby is currently mulling over whether he’ll make the trek to Czechia for the World Hockey Championship. The Pittsburgh Penguins did not qualify for the postseason, so he’s been at home thinking things over.
Strengths & Weaknesses
The top strength of Team Canada is their unmatchable depth. They can go four lines deep in this tournament and still find production.
With the Stanley Cup Playoffs blocking some of the game’s best players from representing their countries, the IIHF World Championship often comes down to availability.
Although they’ll be without McDavid, there is more than enough firepower to go around. Canada will not have an issue generating offense at the World Championship.
However, will the defense and goaltending hold up? It appears that Tristan Jarry and Sam Montembeault will be their top options. Marc-Andre Fleury might accept a spot on the team, but we’ll have to wait and see.
In any event, goaltending is likely their biggest liability at the 2024 IIHF World Championship.
Team Finland (+340)
The Finnish squad has found success at the IIHF World Championship in recent memory. They won their fourth gold medal in 2022, only three years after winning their third in 2019.
Team Finland is regarded as one of the top favorites in the IIHF betting odds again this season. Given their quality talent and growing pool of young studs, Finland is a hockey program that will be around for a while.
Projected Star Players
Much to the delight of Canada and the other top teams at the 2024 World Championship, Finland will be without some of their best playmakers.
Mikko Rantanen, Aleksander Barkov, Sebastian Aho, Roope Hintz, and Teuvo Teravainen are all on playoff contenders. The Avalanche, Panthers, and Hurricanes won their first-round matchups.
All three teams are among the favorites to win the Stanley Cup. Additionally, Hintz and the Stars are a win away from advancing, so Finland will not have their full cast of superstars at the World Championship.
Also, Patrik Laine is currently in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. I am sure he would be happy to represent his country, but that will likely wait until the future.
Nevertheless, Finland is in good hands with Eeli Tolvanen, Matias Maccelli, and Mikael Granlund. Additionally, the Devils’ Erik Haula provides Finland with veteran leadership and a solid two-way player.
The real MVP for Finland might have to be a goaltender, though.
Strengths & Weaknesses
A hot goaltender can steal the show and gold medal for a team in the World Championship. Well-known for being a goalie factory, Finland should be well-equipped between the pipes in Czechia.
The Nashville Predators are currently in the midst of a first-round series versus the Vancouver Canucks. With Nashville down 3-2, the odds favor Finland getting Juuse Saros for the crease.
The 28-year-old native of Frossa, Finland, boasts a 2.21 GAA through five playoff starts. He finished the regular season with a 2.86 GAA and 0.906 save percentage2.
Saros’ absence wouldn’t leave Finland in dire straits in the crease, though. In 2023-24, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been one of the finest goaltenders in the NHL.
MY GOODNESS, UKKO-PEKKA LUUKKONEN 😱
🇺🇸: @ESPNPlus ➡️ https://t.co/FmPv8M6v1l
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/sEijvXhbA1 pic.twitter.com/45VJWbZOTw— NHL (@NHL) March 31, 2024
With a 2.57 GAA and 0.91 save percentage, he’s in Vezina Trophy territory despite playing for a mediocre Sabres team3. Luukkonen is largely the reason why you can’t ignore Finland this year.
Can the goalie carry Finland to gold? On a team that is always so well-disciplined defensively, he will be in a strong position.
I don’t have the most confidence in Finland’s offense without their top playmakers, but the defense and goaltending should be tough to crack.
Team Sweden (+450)
The Swedes are generally a wildcard at the IIHF World Championship. It’s one of the most difficult teams to get a solid prediction on when it comes to international competition.
In 2017 and 2018, Sweden won back-to-back IIHF titles. Since then, however, Sweden hasn’t won a medal or even finished fourth. It’s a disappointing result for a team that won three championships from 2013 to 2018.
That said, playing in a very beatable Group B puts Sweden in a decent position. Against this weak competition, Sweden will likely earn a top seed for the knockouts.
Projected Star Players
Sweden is another squad that falls victim to the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Elias Pettersson is hoping to go on a long playoff run with the Vancouver Canucks. The same applies to Elias Lindholm and Filip Forsberg.
If the Canucks lose to the Predators, Lindholm and Pettersson could be on their way to the World Championship. Conversely, Forsberg might accept an invite if the Predators can’t erase a 3-1 series deficit.
Loaded with terrific defensemen, Sweden could have been one of the most well-rounded teams at the 2024 IIHF World Championship. However, they could still have some of the most skilled defensemen at the tournament.
Depending on what happens to the Pittsburgh Penguins’ playoff chances, Erik Karlsson could make it to Europe earlier than expected. Karlsson and Rasmus Dahlin would be feared players on the blue line for Team Sweden.
That's a career-high 74 points for Jesper Bratt!@NJDevils | #NJDevils | #NHLTonight pic.twitter.com/F8Z3qHkXdU
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) April 3, 2024
The New Jerseys Devils’ Jesper Bratt figures to be a key cog offensively for Finland. The 25-year-old continues to improve and is a must-have for Sweden if they are going to have success.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Similar to their Scandinavian neighbor, I am not feeling so hot about Sweden’s offense. In the Olympics, it could be a whole different story, but this is always going to be a team predicated on defense regardless. The onus will be on Bratt to have a very special World Championship offensively.
In any case, Sweden should have a fairly stout blue line for the World Championship in 2024. Karlsson and Dahlin would be two of the best in the tournament, and they’re on the same roster together.
Additionally, with the Calgary Flames struggling, goaltender Jacob Markstrom is expected to be available. He was injured a few weeks ago but recently returned to the ice. The veteran’s presence would loom large on the ice and in the locker room for Sweden.
2024 IIHF Pre-Tournament Betting Pick
With Bedard confirming that he will play for Team Canada, the Canadians received a significant boost. After the Blackhawks failed to reach the playoffs, Bedard will be well-rested and motivated in this tournament.
Team Canada has Winnipeg jets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois joining the squad following an early playoff exit who should be a major boost to their gold medal chances, although the Canadian roster is lacking star power overall.
Despite the lack of star power, Canada’s depth is the ultimate X-factor in this tournament. All these squads will have solid talent, but with an entire roster of NHL talent, Canada should ultimately prevail. I liked betting Canada when their odds were +265, so I love them at +300.
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Sources
Connor Bedard Stats And News | NHL.com. Retrieved From “https://www.nhl.com/blackhawks/player/connor-bedard-8484144”
Juuse Saros Stats And News | NHL.com. Retrieved From “https://www.nhl.com/predators/player/juuse-saros-8477424”
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen Stats And News | NHL.com. Retrieved From “https://www.nhl.com/sabres/player/ukko-pekka-luukkonen-8480045”
