For the first time since 2014, NHL players are back at the Olympics, promising star-studded affairs as pro ice hockey players compete for gold. Speaking of gold, it's a prize the American men haven't won in Olympic ice hockey since 1980, when a group of college kids and longshot pros became the stuff of legend with an improbable defeat of the mighty Soviets.
On Friday, the group of Americans tasked with ending a 46-year gold drought was revealed during an episode of NBC's The Today Show.
2026 Team USA Olympic Hockey Roster
| Name | Position |
|---|---|
| Matt Boldy | Forward |
| Kyle Connor | Forward |
| Jack Eichel | Forward |
| Jake Guentzel | Forward |
| Jack Hughes | Forward |
| Clayton Keller | Forward |
| Dylan Larkin | Forward |
| Auston Matthews | Forward |
| J.T. Miller | Forward |
| Brock Nelson | Forward |
| Tage Thompson | Forward |
| Brady Tkachuk | Forward |
| Matthew Tkachuk | Forward |
| Vincent Trocheck | Forward |
| Brock Faber | Defenseman |
| Noah Hanifin | Defenseman |
| Quinn Hughes | Defenseman |
| Seth Jones | Defenseman |
| Charlie McAvoy | Defenseman |
| Jake Sanderson | Defenseman |
| Jaccob Slavin | Defenseman |
| Zach Werenski | Defenseman |
| Connor Hellebuyck | Goaltender |
| Jake Oettinger | Goaltender |
| Jeremy Swayman | Goaltender |
Of the 25 players on team USA's roster, two of them—Jake Sanderson and Brock Faber—have prior Olympic experience, meaning 23 players are making their debuts on the Olympic stage. However, 21 of the players on the roster represented the United States in the NHL's inaugural 4 Nations Faceoff this past February, a tune-up of sorts for the Milano Cortina games in which the Americans finished second after losing to Team Canada in overtime. Teams can dress 20 skaters and two goaltenders for game action.
Are there any notable roster snubs/top players who could be injury replacements on Team USA's roster?
Yes, the likes of forward Chris Kreider and defenseman Adam Fox, holdovers from the 4 Nations Faceoff, did not make team USA's roster. Other top players, such as NHL points leader Jacob Robertson, as well as forwards Alex DeBrincat and Cole Caufield, each of whom rank among the NHL's top-10 goal scorers, did not make the cut. The likes of Fox, one of the league's top defenseman, and perhaps Robertson, among others, would be prime candidates as roster replacements in the event of an injury.
Team USA is in Group C, which consists of three other countries, Germany, Latvia and Denmark. The Americans will play three round-robin games, then all 12 participating countries will be re-ranked according to specific criteria in the lead-up to the quarterfinals, semifinals and then the gold and bronze medal games. The Americans begin preliminary group play on Feb. 12 against Latvia.
Here's a look at the full Team USA schedule.
Team USA Olympic Hockey Schedule
| Opponent | Date | Time (ET) |
|---|---|---|
| Latvia | Feb. 12 | 3:10 p.m. |
| Denmark | Feb. 14 | 3:10 p.m. |
| Germany | Feb. 15 | 3:10 p.m. |
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Milano Cortina Olympics: Full Team USA Hockey Roster .
