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:

The standings don’t lie. A few surprises on Day 4 of the men’s preliminary round of #Beijing2022 pic.twitter.com/x3UOIHoBpZ

— IIHF (@IIHFHockey) February 12, 2022

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.

2022 Beijing Men’s Olympics: How to watch

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.

2022 Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey: Who to watch

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]