If you haven’t paid attention (or haven’t stayed up late enough to catch a game), the 2022 Beijing Men’s Olympic ice hockey has been a tournament to remember. From Team USA’s dominant 4-2 victory over Team Canada to Czechia’s 6-5 overtime win against the Russian Olympic Committee, the 2022 Olympics have been jam-packed with heart-pounding action.
Qualifying rounds start tomorrow. Participants have been broken into three separate groups based on their performance thus far. Group A is headlined by Team USA, followed by Canada, Germany, and China:
Group B is led by the Russian Olympic Committee, followed closely by Denmark, Czechia and Switzerland. Finland headlines Group C , trailed by Sweden, Latvia and Slovakia. With qualifying rounds on the horizon, knowing where to watch, who to watch, and how to add a little extra excitement to the tournament will help you gain the edge this year.
The qualifying playoffs start at 11:10 PM on February 14. The tournament itself will be streamed on Peacock TV, USA Network, and NBCOlympics.com. Two games will take place at 11:10 PM, while the others will start at 3:40 AM and 8:10 AM, respectively. Two days of qualifying rounds will take place, followed by the quarterfinal games on the 18th, semifinals on the 19th, and finals on the 20th.
There are plenty of Red Wings alumni like Jacob de la Rose that may leave a pleasant smile on your face. These names, however, are the key difference-makers on their Olympic rosters — and many of them make up fellow rebuilding teams. Keep an eye out for these notable names when you watch the tournament:
- Matty Beniers: The 2021 second-overall pick is a University of Michigan product and the first-ever player chosen by the Seattle Kraken. The 19-year-old led all Team USA players on ice time and looks to be a huge part of Seattle’s future moving forward.
- Owen Power: Speaking of the 2021 draft — and U of M — Owen Power, first overall in 2021, has been a fixture on Team USA’s blueline since the start. It wouldn’t be a shock to see Power suit up for the Buffalo Sabres in the 2022-23 season.
- Topi Niemela: The Toronto Maple Leafs draft product has torn up the Finnish Liiga for the last few seasons and is a clear-cut difference-maker for Team Finland. Keep an eye out on this sleeper.
- Mason McTavish: The flashy Anaheim Ducks center, yet another 2021 draft product, headlines a solid Team Canada roster. Expect to see him with fellow Duck Trevor Zegras as early as 2022-23.
Make the most of your Olympic experience
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[Editor’s note: DraftKings has paid for the affiliate link on this post, but Jake wrote the useful info]