Team USA Unveils Star-Studded Olympic Hockey Rosters

The anticipation is palpable as the United States officially unveiled its men’s and women’s ice hockey rosters for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, marking a historic return for NHL players to the Olympic stage after a 12-year hiatus. The announcement, made on January 2, 2026, during a spirited segment on NBC’s TODAY show, set the hockey world abuzz—thanks to both the star-studded selections and the headline-making omissions.

Let’s start with the men’s roster, which is brimming with both experience and fresh energy. General manager Bill Guerin, who also serves as the Minnesota Wild’s GM, faced the unenviable task of narrowing down a deep pool of American talent. The final squad features 21 returnees from the recent 4 Nations Face-Off, joined by four new faces, including the highly anticipated return of defenseman Quinn Hughes, who missed the 4 Nations tournament due to injury but was named to the Olympic team as early as June 2025.

Among the forwards, fans will recognize names like Auston Matthews, the expected captain, and the dynamic Tkachuk brothers, Brady and Matthew. They’re joined by offensive powerhouses Matt Boldy—who currently leads all Americans with 25 goals—Jake Guentzel, Jack Eichel, Kyle Connor, Dylan Larkin, Jack Hughes, Brock Nelson, J.T. Miller, and Vincent Trocheck. Tage Thompson and Clayton Keller, both instrumental in the United States’ first gold medal at the World Championship in 92 years last spring, also secured their spots. Thompson’s overtime “Golden Goal” at worlds remains fresh in the minds of American fans and hockey brass alike.

The blue line is equally formidable. Quinn Hughes will anchor a defense that includes Charlie McAvoy, Jaccob Slavin, Brock Faber, Zach Werenski, Jake Sanderson, and Noah Hanifin. Seth Jones, fresh off a Stanley Cup win with the Panthers, brings size, mobility, and the ability to log major minutes. All three goaltenders from the 4 Nations—Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, and Jeremy Swayman—return, giving Team USA enviable depth between the pipes.

But, as with any roster announcement, the snubs have generated nearly as much conversation as the selections themselves. Anaheim Ducks winger Chris Kreider, Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield, and top goal-scorer Jason Robertson were all left off the final list. Robertson’s omission, in particular, has raised eyebrows—he ranks second among Americans in goals (24), first in points (48), and leads in power-play production this season. Adam Fox, the 2021 Norris Trophy winner and a member of the 4 Nations roster, was also cut. Fox shared his disappointment, telling The Athletic’s Peter Baugh, “I thought my play this year was worthy of it and my track record as well, but it’s out of my hands at a certain point.”

Guerin, for his part, remains steadfast in his choices. “Listen, I make my decisions and I move ahead,” he told The Athletic. “I don’t care what people say on social media. I don’t care what the experts say. All I care about is the team. I have a job to do, I’m doing it to the best of my ability. If I’m right, I’m right. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong, and we think we have put together the best team we can to help bring us a gold medal.” He further emphasized, “We have a huge talent pool, and unfortunately, some good players had to be left off. But if there are injuries, there could be changes, and some of the players that weren’t named to the initial roster could still be with us in a month. A lot can happen still.”

The U.S. men’s team hasn’t medaled at the Olympics since taking silver in 2010. Their last gold came in 1980, during the legendary “Miracle on Ice.” The journey to change that begins February 11, 2026, when the men’s tournament kicks off in Milan. Team USA will open their Group B preliminary round on February 12 against Latvia, with the gold-medal game scheduled for February 22. Expectations are sky-high. Anything short of gold, especially after a heartbreaking overtime loss to Canada at the 4 Nations, will be seen as a disappointment. Guerin’s mantra has been clear: build a “team, not an All-Star team.” He’s banking on balance, grit, and defensive depth to finally topple powerhouse rivals like Canada.

On the women’s side, the announcement was equally momentous—especially for fans of the Wisconsin Badgers. Six Badgers, the most from any school in the nation, earned spots on Team USA’s Olympic roster: Laila Edwards, Caroline Harvey, Ava McNaughton, Kirsten Simms (all active UW players), and former standouts Britta Curl-Salemme and Hilary Knight. The staff will also feature Wisconsin athletic trainer Stefanie Arndt and former operations director Sis Paulsen.

This marks the first Olympic appearance for Curl-Salemme, Edwards, McNaughton, and Simms, while Harvey returns after earning silver at the 2022 Beijing Games. Knight, meanwhile, is set to make history as the first American to compete in five Olympic Games—a testament to her longevity and dominance in the sport. Edwards, a trailblazer as the first Black woman to represent the U.S. women’s senior national team, will now become the first Black woman on the U.S. women’s Olympic hockey team. She led the Badgers with 35 goals last season and tallied six points in four games during the 2025 Rivalry Series, where Team USA swept Canada by a combined score of 24–7.

Harvey, the Badgers’ captain and NCAA leader in points and assists, will anchor the defense. McNaughton, the second-youngest player on the roster, brings a sparkling 1.27 goals-against average and was named HCA Goaltender of the Year. Simms, fresh off a hero’s performance at the 2025 NCAA Championship, rounds out the group after eclipsing the 200-career point mark earlier this season.

For the first time, Team USA will not centralize its women’s players prior to the Olympics, allowing NCAA and PWHL athletes to continue their seasons. The women’s tournament begins February 5, 2026, with preliminary games against Czechia, Finland, Switzerland, and Canada. The quarterfinals, semifinals, and medal games will take place between February 13 and 19. The Badger Olympians will compete in UW’s first three January series before heading to Italy and are expected to return for the remainder of the NCAA season after the Games.

The unveiling of both rosters on national television, with stars like Jack Hughes, Laila Edwards, and Declan Farmer in attendance, highlighted the growing profile of American hockey. The blend of veteran leadership, exciting newcomers, and a renewed sense of purpose has fans dreaming big. Will this be the year Team USA finally ends its gold medal drought? The countdown to Milan is on, and the stage is set for another unforgettable Olympic hockey chapter.

With the opening faceoffs just weeks away, all eyes are on Team USA. The selections have sparked debate, but one thing’s certain: the Americans are heading to Milan with high hopes, hungry for hardware, and ready to write the next great chapter in Olympic hockey history.