Olympic Ice Hockey 2022: Nikita Gusev has the potential to be the top scorer again at the Olympic tournament

Four years ago, Nikita Gusev became the highest-scoring player at the Olympics in South Korea. Will the Russian forward defend his title in China as well? We predict that the SKA forward will defend his title.

For Nikita Gusev, the Beijing Olympics will be the second in his career. Four years ago, he made his debut at such a high-level tournament, where he not only didn't get lost but became the top scorer, scoring 12 points (4 goals + 8 assists) in six games. The Moscow native made a major impact in the final game against Germany. He was involved in all four goals for the Red Machine, and his 54-second penalty save in the third period sealed his place in world hockey history. The 29-year-old returned to the Soldiers as the current season progressed and has 36 points (10 + 26) in 31 games this season.

The top favorite in the scoring race is Vadim Shipachyov, which should come as little surprise since, at 34, he has had a strong season with Dynamo, amassing 67 points (24 + 43) in 48 games. That said, it's worth noting that the Russian national team captain is far from always able to prove himself outside the KHL. Yes, he had successful World Championships in 2016 and 2017, but we can recall his poor showing at the last Olympics, where he played only one game and was sent to the substitutes, let alone try to make a name for himself in the NHL. Will Alexei Zhamnov build the game around him, as Alexei Kudashov does in the club? That's a big question.

Among the Russian national team players, Mikhail Grigorenko, who is also the reigning Olympic champion, is also worth paying attention to. He didn't have much statistical prowess in PyeongChang, posting four points (1 + 3) in six games, but he has plenty of winning experience. The 27-year-old has been a big part of CSKA during the current KHL regular season, where he's one of the top scorers with 33 points (18 + 15) in 41 games. Moreover, he was one of the key players for the Red and Blue in their victorious 2019 play-offs, with 21 points (13 + 8) in 20 cup games.

Finnish forward Miro Aaltonen can compete with the Russian hockey players. The upcoming Olympics will be the first in his career. Still, the 28-year-old has plenty of experience, including international experience, as he has played at both the Euro Hockey Tour and World Championships, where he has always had decent stats. He tallied a goal and four assists in three games in the last Karjala Cup. Before the start of this season, the representative of Suomi moved from SKA to Vityaz, where with his compatriots, he is very productive, scoring 42 points (10 + 32) in 44 games.

One of the main stars of the Canadian team at the Beijing Olympics will be centre-forward Corban Knight. He has played for Calgary, Florida, Philadelphia, and several AHL clubs overseas before making a sudden move to Barys Nur-Sultan. In the Kazakhstani capital, the forward spent only a year before signing with Avangard and winning the Gagarin Cup in his first season there. The 31-year-old Canadian has now played 128 games for the Hawks, scoring 104 points (40 + 64), and in the recent Channel One Cup, he notched two assists in three games.

Chelyabinsk's Traktor went on an international break as the KHL leader, and Lukas Sedlak, who received a well-deserved invitation to the Czech Republic for the 2022 Olympics, is now the top scorer for the Black and Whites. In 49 games this season for the South Ural team, he scored 43 points (18 + 25), which places him in the top 10 most productive players in the tournament. The only confusion is his modest international experience and personal statistics in games for the national team. He played in all three games at the December 1 Channel Cup but did not score any goals. He has never played in the World Championships or the Olympics before.

The Olympic hockey tournament is a very short event where almost any athlete can prove their worth. Suffice it to recall how the top 10 scorers four years ago included 18-year-old Finn Eeli Tolvanen, the age-old Canadian Maxim Noreau, Slovakian Jan Muršak and German Patrick Hager. They could hardly be counted among the main stars of such a high-profile event with all due respect. Fortunately, they did end up solidly behind Nikita Gusev, who, with 12 points, was the most prolific player at the 2018 Olympics.

And now it's the SKA forward who appears to be the main contender for the top scorer title at the Games. He's in great shape right now, is one of the strongest hockey players in the KHL, and he's already got successful international experience, which sets him apart from most of his competitors. In his last 31 games for the Russian team, he's scored 44 points (10 goals + 34 assists). That's a powerhouse of a player! Even in the NHL, he has not lost his way. Although he did not become a star in the league, there are no players, so we can look at a bet on Nikita Gusev scoring the most points at the 2022 Olympics for 13.00.