US Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey roster: Three first-round picks, six former NHLers head delegation to Beijing

The 2022 U.S. Men’s Olympic Ice Hockey roster was unveiled on Thursday and, as expected, it’s packed with college players. Of the 25 players on the list, 15 play college hockey. Six other American players have played in the NHL.

You won’t find active NHL players on this year’s Olympic team. The league chose not to send them to Beijing because it decided to waive the Olympic recess and make up games postponed due to COVID-19. The NHL also did not send players to the 2018 games.

With no NHL players on the Olympic rosters, this year’s tournament will likely be the introduction of the fans to many of the players who will participate, and an opportunity for some of the players to become household names before their professional careers. take off.

Here’s the roster for the US men’s hockey team ahead of the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing. The men’s ice hockey competition will begin on February 9.

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US Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey roster

Unsurprisingly, college players top the 25-man roster for the 2022 Beijing Olympics. Among the biggest names are two first-round picks from the 2020 NHL Draft: Jake Sanderson (fifth overall, Senators ) and Brendan Brisson (29, Golden Knights), and the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, Matty Beniers (Kraken).

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Only one player from 2018 is on the team again this year: forward Brian O’Neill. O’Neill, 33, played in 22 NHL games during his career and recorded four points (one goal, three assists) in five games at the 2018 Olympics.

O’Neill, Ken Agostino (86 games), Andy Miele (15 games), Nick Shore (299 games), Steven Kampfer (231 games) and David Warsofsky (55 games) are the members of this year’s team with experience in the NHL.

Who Coaches the US Men’s Ice Hockey Team?

According to the youth movement on this year’s team, the USA team coaches have experience in the collegiate ranks.

This year’s head coach is David Quinn, who spent three seasons as the Rangers’ head coach, where he compiled a 96-87-25 record. Prior to his time in New York, Quinn guided Boston University to four spots in the NCAA Tournament in five years, including a second spot in 2015. He was 105-69-21 during his time with the Terriers.

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Joining Quinn on the bench as assistants are Minnesota State coach Mike Hastings, whose team made it to the 2021 Frozen Four; St. Cloud State coach Brett Larson, whose team finished runner-up last year; and Penguins director of player development Scott Young, who was Quinn’s assistant at BU. Goalkeeping coach David Lassonde has three decades of experience as a college coach.

Former NHL goalkeeper John Vanbiesbrouck is the team’s general manager. He is also the executive deputy director of hockey operations for USA Hockey.

US men’s ice hockey team at the Olympics

Historically, American men have been successful in ice hockey. They have won 11 medals overall, including eight silver medals, the most from any country. However, the team has not won a gold medal since 1980 in Lake Placid, NY; that team provided one of the pivotal moments in American sports history with their “Miracle on Ice.”

It’s been 12 years, since Vancouver in 2010, that Team USA took home a medal. The Americans have not won medals in three of the last four Olympics.

Team USA Men’s Ice Hockey 2022 Olympic Games Schedule

Team USA is one of 12 teams that qualified for the Beijing Olympics. They will play in Group A. Their opponents in the group stage will be Canada, China and Germany.