4 Nations Face-Off Odds & Favorites: USA, Canada the Pre-Tournament Favorites

If you're a hockey fan, you must be counting down the days until February like a four-year-old does for the day Santa somehow fits down your tight or non-existent chimney. 

Sure, we're only talking about four countries competing - Canada, the U.S., Finland, and Sweden - but let's not dull the sparkle of hockey's first best-on-best tournament in nine years. 

Canada and the USA are the early 4 Nations Face-Off odds favorites, with the latter having the slight edge at FanDuel. The tournament will take place at the Bell Centre in Montreal and TD Garden in Boston from Feb. 12 to 20, 2025.

The top two teams will face off in a one-game final after a three-game round-robin. Our best sportsbooks are all over this one, offering odds across a variety of markets well ahead of the tournament opener.  

4 Nations Face-Off game odds, betting lines

(Odds from FanDuel as of Dec. 10; all times displayed in Eastern Time)

Wednesday, Feb. 12

Canada vs. Sweden, 8 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 13

Finland vs. USA, 8 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 15

Sweden vs. Finland, 1 p.m.

Canada vs. USA, 8 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 17

Finland vs. Canada, 1 p.m.

USA vs. Sweden, 8 p.m.

4 Nations Face-Off odds 2025

(4 Nations Face-Off odds as of Dec. 10)

The early odds suggest that Canada and the United States are headed for a hotly anticipated final showdown – made even more attractive by the fact that we haven't seen a best-vs.-best hockey tournament of any kind since the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.

The implied probability gap between the top two and bottom two countries is significant, but the nature of events like these certainly favors a value bet on the underdogs. Anything can happen in a one-game encounter, especially considering that all four teams will feature elite NHL talent.

That much is evident when looking at their stacked rosters. 

4 Nations Face-Off favorites

Canada (+170)

(Rosters and odds as of Dec. 5; players with asterisks were the initial roster selections for each team)

The depth of the Canadian roster goes a long way toward explaining why there's almost nothing to choose between the two 4 Nations Face-Off odds.

The initial six-man unit announced over the summer has combined for six Hart Trophies, seven scoring titles, eight Stanley Cups, and a Norris Trophy. Canada will be flush with offensive talent up front, along with the best puck-moving blue-liner in the league in Makar.

The biggest question mark will be in goal, where there is no Martin Brodeur, Patrick Roy or Carey Price-caliber option available. The battle to be No. 1 sees Vegas Golden Nights veteran Adin Hill, St. Louis Blues starter Jordan Binnington and Montreal Canadiens veteran Samuel Montembeault tangling to see who will earn the top job.

It's difficult to know just how much the lack of elite goaltending will matter – but you can be sure that Canada's impressive roster of skaters will do everything it can to ensure that it doesn't.

Odds: +170 | Implied probability: 37.04%

USA (+160)

Rolling out six sensational players in the prime of their careers as the core of their roster was a heck of a flex by the Americans – and the other 17 players aren't exactly third-liners, either.

That's the thing about this U.S. side: Not only is it deeper than it has ever been, but the majority of players who will suit up are young, hungry, and supremely talented. The expanded list includes Matthew Tkachuk's truculent Ottawa Senators sibling Brady, net fillers Chris Kreider of the Dallas Stars and Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Sabres, and talented young defensemen Brock Faber of the Minnesota Wild and Jaccob Slavin of the Carolina Hurricanes.

The U.S. also has a notable edge in goal – with two of the league's hottest goalies at the top of the pecking order.

Expect to see Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets as the No. 1 option, though Jake Oettinger of the Dallas Stars has been playing out of his mind and deserves a shot at top spot. Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins round out the netminder roster, but he has struggled for most of the season and is the clear No. 3 at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Odds: +160 | Implied probability: 38.46%

4 Nations Face-Off underdog

Sweden (+420)

You can be certain that the Swedish roster is going to make life quite miserable for opposing forwards.

Any defense corps boasting a pair of elite puck-movers in Victor Hedman and Erik Karlsson, along with a Stanley Cup-winning lynch pin in Gustav Forsling, will be well-positioned to grind out positive results. Add in the inclusions of former No. 1 pick Rasmus Dahlin of the Buffalo Sabres and Stanley Cup finalist Mattias Ekholm of the Edmonton Oilers, and defensive prowess is clearly a strength of this team.

That's going to loom especially large for a Swedish team that might have trouble keeping up offensively with the North American clubs.

Elias Pettersson of the Vancouver Canucks, Lucas Raymond of the Detroit Red Wings and Adrian Kempe of the Los Angeles Kings will help, and the rest of Sweden's forward additions should contribute, as well. But there's not nearly the same level of scoring depth here, and though Linus Ullmark and Jacob Markstrom should fare well in goal, it's hard to see this team doing enough to make it to the final.

Odds: +420 | Implied probability: 19.23%

4 Nations Face-Off long shot

Finland (+650)

Finland's top-end talent is among the best in the world.

Rolling out an initial six-man roster that includes a reigning Stanley Cup champ and two-time Selke Trophy winner (Barkov), a two-time 100-point scorer (Rantanen), a pair of NHL blue-liners who are a combined plus-66 over the past two seasons (Heiskanen and Lindell), and the goalie who has led the NHL in saves in two straight years (Saros) is a real luxury.

The issue with the Finns is the drop-off. After Roope Hintz, the remaining forward group takes a major hit when compared to the other three teams in the tourney. The defensive depth is sorely lacking, and the two options in net behind Saros (Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Kevin Lankinen) all have major question marks.

Finland might steal a win, but even in a short round-robin, this team is the most likely to be overmatched.

Odds: +650 | Implied probability: 13.33%

4 Nations Face-Off round-robin points odds

(Odds as of Dec. 10)

Teams earn three points for a regulation victory, two points for an overtime win, one point for an OT loss and zero points for a regulation defeat.

4 Nations Face-Off odds: Most tournament goals 

Most tournament goals favorite

Auston Matthews (+800)

Regardless of the competition's duration, you can't go wrong backing Auston Matthews to win a goal-scoring title.

He's the world's best goal scorer, a claim he repeatedly proves. Matthews is also one of the streakiest goal-scorers, as he can light the lamp at ridiculous rates. 

Take last season, for example. Matthews scored 10 goals in a seven-game stretch in December and followed that with 10 goals in five games in February. Then, in April, he finished the season with a scorching 10-goal-in-eight-contest run. 

And very rarely does he endure an extended dry patch, which is why he's the most appealing player in this market. Plus, he has some of the world's best passers feeding him the puck, including Jack and Quinn Hughes. 

A winning $10 bet will profit $80. 

Most tournament goals player to watch

Sam Reinhart (+1000)

There's a decent chance Sam Reinhart will be on a line with Connor McDavid. If that happens, Reinhart has to be considered alongside Matthews as a front-runner to score the most goals.

McDavid makes everyone around him palpably better, and he's the best passer in the game (Nikita Kucherov might refute that assertion). 

Reinhart finished second behind Matthews in the Rocket Richard race last season, scoring 57 goals. He's on pace for about 54 in the current campaign. He's also one of the most ruthless offensive players and has scored on almost 25% of his shots since the start of last season. 

If he can extend that absurdly high shooting percentage into the 4 Nations Face-Off, he'll be extremely tough to beat. A winning $10 bet would profit $100.  

4 Nations Face-Off: Most tournament points 

Most tournament points favorite

Connor McDavid (+800)

Nobody will be surprised to see McDavid as the favorite to score the most points. He has been the most prolific point-getter in recent years and will have elite players to dish the puck to everywhere he turns, regardless of who he's paired with. 

McDavid notched 100 assists last season and often didn't play on Leon Draisaitl's line. He was one of the primary reasons Zach Hyman scored 50 goals for the first time in his career.

While McDavid will be playing against the best of the best, he'll also be paired up with the world's most formidable goal scorers. I like the sound of that where the world's best passer is concerned. 

The +800 odds offer excellent value, and a $10 winning bet would profit $80. 

Most tournament points player to watch

Jack Eichel (+2200)

Jack Eichel is back to his best with the Vegas Golden Knights, and he's among the league leaders in points.

Playing for Team USA, Eichel will be surrounded with snipers and youthful assassins, both from a shooting and passing perspective. Imagine seeing him beside Matthews and or Hughes.

I love the +2200 odds, which would pay a $220 profit if he gets the job done. 

4 Nations Face-Off: Team captain odds

Canada

(Odds as of Dec. 10)

With respect to McDavid, Marchand and the others, could this honor really go to anyone but Sid? Now in the twilight of a phenomenal career, this might be Crosby's last chance to wear the Canadian flag at a best-on-best event. I don't see anyone wresting the C from him.

USA

This is easily the most fascinating (and wide-open) captain market on the board. You could make a compelling case for a handful of players on this list; Tkachuk is my top value play given the outstanding leadership he has provided the Stanley Cup champions.

Sweden

Is Karlsson worth a look? I might have thought so before the Lightning handed Hedman the C following the off-season departure of Steven Stamkos. Sweden would be wise to lean on Hedman in the same role, though pivoting to Karlsson would also be a strong option.

Finland

This should be settled quickly, given how pivotal Barkov has been at helming the most successful NHL franchise of the past two seasons. Rantanen wouldn't be a bad choice, but he's not the best one.

4 Nations Face-Off FAQs

When does the 4 Nations Face-Off take place?

The 4 Nations Face-Off takes place Feb. 2-10, with games split between Montreal's Bell Centre and Boston's TD Garden.

What countries are in the 4 Nations Face-Off?

Canada, the United States, Sweden and Finland are the participating countries at the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Who is the 4 Nations Face-Off favorite?

Canada and the USA are the pre-tournament odds favorites to win the 4 Nations Face-Off, with the former at +170 and the latter +160 at FanDuel. 

How are points awarded in the 4 Nations Face-Off?

Teams are given three points for a regulation win, two points for an overtime victory, and one point for an OT loss.

When were the 4 Nations Face-Off rosters announced?

Initial six-man rosters for each team were revealed over the summer, while the remainder of the 4 Nations Face-off rosters were announced Dec. 4.

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