The U.S. men’s hockey team begins its quest for Olympic gold on Thursday in Milan, with NHL players returning to the Games for the first time since 2014. Team USA enters the 2026 Winter Olympics with a roster that blends proven chemistry with top talent, hoping to end a decades-long gold medal drought.
Since the “Miracle on Ice” in 1980, the Americans have reached the Olympic gold medal game twice—2002 and 2010—both losses coming to Canada. Outside of those silver finishes, the team has struggled to advance past the quarterfinals, particularly in the last two Olympics without NHL players. With the NHL back, the U.S. sees a chance to compete “best-on-best” and finally claim gold.
The roster, revealed in January, keeps much of last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off lineup intact, with forwards Tage Thompson, Clayton Keller, and defenseman Seth Jones replacing Chris Kreider and Adam Fox. While some top scorers like Jason Robertson, Cole Caufield, and Alex DeBrincat were left off, general manager Bill Guerin emphasized building a complete team over an All-Star lineup. “Chemistry allowed the guys to play the way they did,” Guerin said.
Standout goaltender Connor Hellebuyck anchors the squad, bringing three Vezina Trophies and a recent Hart Trophy MVP to Milan. Alongside Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman, the U.S. is confident its net will be a major strength. Defenseman Charlie McAvoy and forward Jack Hughes, both returning from injuries, practiced fully and are expected to contribute at full strength.
The road to gold likely runs through Canada. Since NHL participation began in 1998, the Americans have met their northern rivals five times at the Olympics, losing four—including twice in gold medal games—and recently fell twice to Canada in other international tournaments. Yet optimism is high that this roster, blending experience, skill, and strong goaltending, could finally break that streak.
Team USA opens Group C against Latvia and will also face Germany and Denmark, with a challenging bracket that sets the stage for high-stakes matchups, potentially including a rematch with Canada. With NHL talent back on the ice, the Americans are hoping Milan 2026 will mark the year they reclaim Olympic gold.
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