Team USA Men’s Hockey Arrives in Milan as a Gold-Medal Contender, Not an Underdog
For years, the narrative surrounding Team USA men’s hockey at the Olympics has been one of near-misses and what-ifs. Since that unforgettable Miracle on Ice in 1980, the Americans have come close-but never quite finished the job. That storyline might finally be changing in 2026.
This time around, the U.S. isn’t sending a group of scrappy college kids or fringe NHLers. They’re bringing a fully loaded roster of NHL stars to Milan-Cortina, and they’re not just hoping to compete-they’re aiming to dominate.
A Roster Built to Win Now
This is the first best-on-best Olympic tournament since 2014, and for many of the players wearing red, white, and blue, it’s their Olympic debut. That includes headliners like Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, and the Hughes brothers-Quinn and Jack-who headline a roster that’s as deep and dangerous as any in the tournament.
Matthews wears the captain’s “C,” and his presence alone gives Team USA a legitimate shot at gold. But it’s far from a one-man show.
The forward group is stacked with elite talent like Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, Dylan Larkin, Tage Thompson, Kyle Connor, and Clayton Keller. That’s a top-six that can skate with anyone in the world, and a bottom-six that brings both scoring punch and defensive reliability.
On defense, the Americans are just as formidable. Charlie McAvoy, Quinn Hughes, and Zach Werenski lead a blue line that combines skill, speed, and shutdown ability. Add in the likes of Jaccob Slavin, Noah Hanifin, and Olympic returnees Brock Faber and Jake Sanderson-who played in the 2022 Beijing Games as college standouts-and you’ve got a group that can move the puck and lock it down in their own zone.
And in goal? It’s a three-headed monster.
Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, and Jeremy Swayman give the U.S. arguably the best goaltending depth in the tournament. All three are capable of stealing games, and that’s a luxury few teams have.
Familiar Faces, Real Chemistry
One of the biggest advantages this U.S. team brings into Milan is continuity. Twenty-one of the 25 players were part of the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off, a tournament that served as a proving ground for this group. In that event, the Americans pushed Canada to overtime in the final-a 3-2 loss that felt more like a preview than a defeat.
That kind of roster carryover is rare in international hockey, especially in a compressed tournament like the Olympics. It means the players already know each other’s tendencies, the systems are in place, and the lines have chemistry. In a format where there’s no time to ease into things, that familiarity could be a game-changer.
A Coaching Staff With Experience-and Edge
Behind the bench, the Americans are led by Mike Sullivan, the current head coach of the New York Rangers. Sullivan was originally tapped to coach the 2022 Olympic team before the NHL pulled out due to COVID-19. Now, he finally gets his shot to lead a true best-on-best squad.
Sullivan’s staff includes some serious hockey minds: Minnesota Wild head coach John Hynes, Rangers assistant David Quinn, and the always-intense John Tortorella, who brings Olympic experience and a no-nonsense edge. The group worked together during the 4 Nations Face-Off and knows how to get the most out of this roster.
And overseeing it all is Bill Guerin, the Wild’s general manager and a three-time Olympian himself. Guerin made it clear before the tournament began: this team isn’t here to just “show well.”
“With this group, anything short of gold is a disappointment,” Guerin said. “The time for being ‘happy to be there’ ended in 1980.”
Olympic History: Chasing Gold, Again
The Americans have medaled 11 times in 22 Olympic appearances, with two iconic golds-1960 in Squaw Valley and, of course, 1980 in Lake Placid. Since NHL players began participating in 1998, Team USA has reached the final twice: 2002 in Salt Lake City and 2010 in Vancouver. Both times, they came up just short, falling to Canada.
In 2026, the U.S. enters the tournament with arguably its deepest, most talented team in decades. And for the first time in a long time, they’re not being asked to punch above their weight-they’re expected to lead the pack.
Here’s a look at the full roster:
Goaltenders
- Jeremy Swayman
- Jake Oettinger
- Connor Hellebuyck
Defensemen
- Quinn Hughes
- Charlie McAvoy (A)
- Zach Werenski
- Jaccob Slavin
- Brock Faber (2022, 2026)
- Jake Sanderson (2022, 2026)
- Noah Hanifin
- Jackson LaCombe
Forwards
- Auston Matthews (C)
- Matthew Tkachuk (A)
- Brady Tkachuk
- Jack Eichel
- Jack Hughes
- Dylan Larkin
- Tage Thompson
- J.T. Miller
- Matt Boldy
- Kyle Connor
- Jake Guentzel
- Brock Nelson
- Vincent Trocheck
- Clayton Keller
The Road to Gold: Group C Schedule
Team USA is in Group C for the preliminary round and enters as the favorite. All three games are scheduled for 3:10 PM ET, making it easy for fans back home to follow along.
- Feb. 12 vs. Latvia
- Feb. 14 vs. Denmark
- Feb. 15 vs. Germany
If the U.S. wins the group-or finishes as the top second-place team-they’ll skip the Qualification Playoff and advance straight to the Quarterfinals.
Knockout Round Schedule
- Qualification Playoff: Feb.
17
- Quarterfinals: Feb.
18
- Semifinals: Feb.
20 (10:40 AM / 3:10 PM ET)
- Bronze Medal Game: Feb.
21 (2:40 PM ET)
The Bottom Line
This isn’t just a good U.S. team-it’s a great one. From top to bottom, the Americans have the talent, experience, and chemistry to bring home gold.
The pieces are in place. The coaching staff is battle-tested.
The players are hungry.
Now, it’s time to see if they can finally finish the job.