Previewing 2025 IIHF World Championship: Top Teams, Star Players, and Best Odds
We are dangerously close to the opening day of the 2025 IIHF World Championship taking place between May 9-25 in Sweden and Denmark. The event will be broadcasted in over 100 countries worldwide and feature two groups of eight teams competing for the most coveted prize in international ice hockey.
This year’s calendar isn’t too kind for the fans, despite the largest official fan zone installed right next to the iconic Avicii Arena. The 2025 tour overlaps with the National Hockey League (NHL) playoffs, and players whose teams are still eyeing the Stanley Cup won’t be competing for the gold. On the other side of the rink, missing players can be good for bettors willing to risk their money on underdogs.
In anticipation of the IIHF Preliminary Round, let’s brush up on the top players coming to the tour, peek into team camps, and examine the best odds for this year’s event.
Teams to Watch
A total of 16 teams will be swinging their way to the finals on May 25th, and by the looks of it, the potential for upsets has never been bigger. There are no clear favorites, and, running the risk of sounding cliche, anyone can turn up and beat whoever is on the other side.
With that in mind, let’s revisit my top 5 favorites for the gold and assess their chances.
Team Canada
Canada comes to the tour as the Playbet favorite to win gold at 2.40. Much of it has to do with the star power of the hall of famer Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Marc-André Fleury, and Ryan O’Reilly. The quartet will be joined by promising young talent in Adam Fantilli and Macklin Celebrini. Canadas star power stretches to the coaching staff, with Dean Evason and MacKenzie Weegar joining forces on the bench. They look poised for the finals.
Switzerland Eyeing Gold
Having won three silver medals in the last 13 campaigns, including last year, the Swiss are becoming a formidable force on ice. Nico Hischier and Timo Meier continue to prove their attacking prowess, while the solidity at the back provided by Jonas Siegenthaler and fellow blueliner Janis Moser is no scoffing matter. The Swiss have every right to hope for the gold, but the top 3 finish (3.00 at Playbet) sounds more realistic.
Czechia Eyeing Repeat
Last year, the Czechs shocked the hockey world and won gold, beating the Swiss 2:0 in the Prague finals. The spine of the team in the flesh of David Pastrnak and Roman Cervenka is still there, but the depth could be a concern. The first preliminary round game—a rematch of last year’s finals, should answer whether they are in for another deep run. The Czechs are the BC.GAME favorites for that game at 1.71.
Team United States
The United States rarely comes to the IIHF Worlds with the star-studded capacity from the NHL and prefers to use the tour as a platform for younger players. This is reflected in the fact that the US hasn’t won the World Championship since 1933. However, this year, it seems that enough veterans are there to fuel a deep run with Brady Skjei, Zach Werenski, and captain Clayton Keller creating the spine of the team. Team USA reached the semis seven times in the last 11 Worlds. Can they finally make the finals? Jackbit is 3.10 on yes.
Sweden on the Rise
The Swedes come to the tour with the most NHL players out of all European teams (17), led by Lucas Raymond of Seattle and Simon Edvinsson of Detroit. The team won bronze last year and will be looking to seal the deal given the home court advantage in the medal games. Last year’s bronze was their first podium finish after a four-year drought, and many bettors, myself included, see Sweden as a dark horse in the championship race with the Jackbit odds of 3.80.
Top Players to Watch at 2025 IIHF World Championship
Due to the unfortunate overlap with NHL playoffs, skaters from the likes of Dallas Stars or Toronto Maple Leafs won’t be participating in the 2025 IIHF World Championship. Yet despite roster restrictions, the tour is chock-full of international stars who can lift the crowd with a single wrist shot.
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Canada – Sidney Crosby
Team Canada is the most stacked national team on the tour. Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins, the nine-time NHL MVP and one of the all-time great players, returns to the tour for the first time since 2015 when he captained the team to gold. He’ll be forming a formidable partnership with Nathan MacKinnon and goaltender Marc-André Fleury, who have 7 Stanley Cups between them. Speaking of, MacKinnon is the Jackbit favorite for top goalscorer in the tournament at 9.00.
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Sweden – Jacob Markström
Sticking with goaltenders, the home team rightly looks up to Jacob Markström, whose imposing physique and a .900 save percentage this season for the New Jersey Devils make him a forbidding presence in goal. On the other side of the rink, Mika Zibanejad is a reliable target man who has already led Sweden to a World Championship title in 2018.
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Chechia – David ‘Pasta’ Pastrnak
All eyes on team Chechia will be on David ‘Pasta’ Pastrnak, who tallied 43 goals and 63 assists this season for Boston Bruins. Pasta was on the team last year, when Chechia defeated Switzerland in the finals and won their seventh IIHF chip.
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USA – Zach Werenski
Team USA will look at their defense for inspiration, as Zach Werenski and Brady Skjei show up for international duty. Werenski, in particular, has been spectacular this season for the Blue Jackets, scoring 22 goals and recording 56 assists.
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Switzerland – Nico Hischier
Lastly, I’d be remiss not to mention the Swiss superstar Nico Hischier, one of the top three best two-way skaters in the game. Last year, he almost got Switzerland over the line, scoring six and assisting 5 times during the campaign.
Milos Antic
Sports Betting Expert
Milos is a sports betting professional whose special skill involves sitting through countless hours of football fixtures. He entered the sports betting arena in 2017 and hasn't looked back since. He is that guy who gets stopped and asked for a handy betting tip or two. As an in-house betting expert for CryptoGamba, Milos takes much pride when results go the way he called them while always finding a fitting excuse when they don't.
