After a 12-year gap, NHL players return to the Olympics, as Team Canada prepares for their first game against Team Czechia on Thursday at 10:40 a.m. ET in Milan.

Although Canada has won gold at the last two Olympics with NHL participation, this will be the first taste of true best-on-best hockey for most players in this tournament.

Canada is a fairly heavy -650 favourite to win, with the puckline set at 2.5 and the total set at 6.0. Czechia is a +425 underdog.

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Canada vs. Czechia Men’s Olympic Hockey Betting Odds

Historically, Canada tops the medal chart in Olympic men’s hockey with the most gold medals (nine) and total medals (16). Czechia has medalled twice, winning gold in 1998 Nagano and bronze in 2006 Torino.

The Canadians enter the Olympic men’s hockey tournament as a +100 favourite to win gold, with Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon +250 co-favourites to lead the team in scoring. Canada is also -625 to medal and they are -550 favourites to win Group A.

Czechia has the fifth-shortest gold medal odds +2500 and I like the value on the Czechs at +400 to medal. David Pastrnak (+125) and Martin Necas (+300) are the favourites to lead the team in scoring.

Team Canada

There’s no denying that Canada has the best offensive weapons in the Olympic tournament as they boast three of the top four scorers in the NHL at the moment in McDavid, MacKinnon and Macklin Celebrini. They also have a stacked back-end led by Cale Makar, arguably the best defenceman in the world. The most intriguing thing for me is the top line Canada has been practicing with, which pairs the speedy McDavid with the elite offence of Celebrini and the toughness of Tom Wilson.

The elephant in the room for the roster, however, is in net. Jordan Binnington will likely get the start against Czechia after leading Canada to victory at last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, but he’s having the worst statistical season of his career. Head coach Jon Cooper said he will start different goalies Thursday against Czechia and Friday against Switzerland. I expect Logan Thompson to get the second start before Team Canada reevaluates and decides who gets the net the rest of the tournament.

Team Canada men’s Olympic hockey preview

Team Czechia

You can’t overlook Czechia in this tournament and frankly, I’m surprised Canada is so heavily favoured. The Czechs’ are stacked with elite level talent, with the likes of Pastrnak, Necas and Tomas Hertl up front. It’s also a strong blue line led by Radko Gudas and Filip Hronek. With Sweden dealing with numerous injuries, my sneaky best bet is for Czechia to finish higher than Sweden in the tournament at +195.

Team Czechia has a similar question as Canada when it comes to goaltending as Lukas Dostal, Karel Vejmelka and Dan Vladar are all fighting for the net. If you’re going purely by better NHL statistics this season it goes Vladar (2.47 goals-against average, .905 save percentage), Vejmelka (2.58 GAA, .903 SV) and Dostal (2.92 GAA, .897 SV).

Canada vs. Czechia Prediction

This game is hugely important for Canada as it provides their first and best chance to tinker with the lines and find the right pairings ahead of the knockout round. With all due respect to Switzerland and France, those countries just don’t provide the strength Czechia has to really test Canada.

The Canadians have the better forward group and stronger defencemen, but I don’t see either team really having an edge in the goaltending department. I’ll take Canada, but it won’t be a blowout.

Canada 5, Czechia 2

Best bet: Over 6.0 as both teams have high offensive upside and questionable goaltending.