The United States Men's Hockey Team continues its quest for a gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics when they face Sweden on Wednesday. The puck will drop at 3:10 p.m. ET (USA/Peacock) at Milano Santagiulia Arena in Milan, Italy.
Below is our United States vs. Sweden prediction and picks for Olympic men's hockey. Make your picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks and earn real money if you’re right, including on game winners, spreads, and over/unders.
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Sweden vs. United States Prediction, Picks for 2026 Olympic Hockey
This is the first time since 2014 that NHL players are competing in the Olympics. Travel costs and the COVID-19 pandemic caused NHL players to miss the last two Winter Games.
The United States is aiming for its first gold medal since 1980, when it won the Miracle on Ice at the Lake Placid Games. They have come close, earning silver in 2002 and 2010.
Team USA made it through the preliminary rounds unscathed, winning all three games by at least three games. Their dominance throughout this tournament makes them one of the top favorites to take home the gold. The depth of the offense is the driving force of this team; 11 players have scored in the first three games, with four scoring multiple goals.
Sweden finished third in Group B and, as a result, played in a qualifying playoff round. They handled their business by demolishing Latvia 5-1, and now their reward is facing the United States.
Sweden vs. United States Over/Under, Spread
The United States enters Wednesday’s game as 1.5-goal favorites, returning a 1.28x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks if they win outright.
Sweden is a heavy underdog with a 3.22x payout if they win, via PrizePicks Team Picks.
- Spread: United States -1.5
- Over/Under: 6.5
- Game Winner Payout: Sweden 3.22x | United States 1.28x
Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
Sweden vs. United States Prediction on the Spread
Here are some facts and figures to help you make your Sweden vs. United States prediction on Wednesday, February 18.
- The United States has a losing all-time record against Sweden, 6-0-0-7.
- The USA’s 16 goals and +11 point differential are the second-most in this tournament.
- USA C Auston Matthews’ 3 goals are the second-most in the tournament.
- USA LW Matthew Tkachuk has 5 assists in the tournament, ranking second.
- Sweden LW Lucas Raymond is tied for first in the tournament with 7 assists.
Sweden vs. United States Picks for PrizePicks Today: Wednesday, February 18
Here are the top Sweden vs. United States picks to target for Wednesday, February 18, on PrizePicks. United States LW Matthew Tkachuk, D Zach Werenski, and C Auston Matthews headline player stat projections via PrizePicks.
United States LW Matthew Tkachuk
- Matthew Tkachuk is skating on the USA's first line with his brother, Brady Tkachuk, opposite him, per Daily Faceoff.
- The veteran is also listed on the first unit for power play.
- The Scottsdale native ranks third in the tournament with 5 assists.
- Tkachuk had recent success against Sweden G Filip Gustavsson, recording 2 assists in Florida’s 4-3 over Minnesota on January 24, 2026.
- Matthew had 2 goals and 1 assist in the first game of the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, but suffered a torn abductor in that game, forcing him to miss the rest of the 2024-25 regular season.
United States C Auston Matthews
- The Maple Leafs center plays on the second line and is paired with LW Jake Guentzel and RW Matt Boldy, per Daily Faceoff.
- However, he is listed on the first power-play unit.
- Matthews leads the team and is second in this tournament with 3 goals.
- The 2015 No. 1 overall pick has been one of the most effective scorers since entering the league, with his 427 goals since entering the league in 2016 being the most in that span.
- The San Ramon, CA native has had recent success against Sweden G Filip Gustavsson, recording 1 goal and 1 assist in the Maple Leafs 6-3 loss to the Wild.
United States D Zach Werenski
- Werenski has recorded points in two of three games during the Olympics.
- The Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman’s 42 assists rank 13th in the NHL.
- The Grosse Pointe native led the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off with 6 assists.
- The last time Werenski faced Sweden's Filip Gustavsson, he scored 1 goal and 2 assists in the Blue Jackets’ 7-4 victory over the Wild on October 11, 2025.
United States C Jack Eichel
- Eichel has multiple points in two of three games during the Olympics.
- The Golden Knights center is ninth in the NHL with 68 points.
- During the 4 Nations Face-Off, the North Chelmsford, MA native’s four points were the third-most in the tournament.
- Eichel leads all Team USA forwards with 47 assists in the NHL.
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Make Sweden vs. United States Olympic Picks on PrizePicks
The United States is looking to remain undefeated and get one step closer to capturing the gold.
You can make your picks on PrizePicks and PrizePicks Team Picks and earn real money. Just pick players, predict More or Less on their projected stats, and cash in if you’re correct. With Team Picks, make predictions on winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 34 states.
Stick around with the Playbook for continued Olympic predictions, picks, and news.
