US Olympic men’s ice hockey squad takes shape ahead of Friday’s reveal | USA ice hockey team
A trio of NHL players – Utah Mammoth captain Clayton Keller, Buffalo Sabers forward Tage Thompson and Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones – will make their Olympic debut with Team USA at the Winter Games in February, ESPN reported Wednesday.
The Olympic lists were due to be submitted on Wednesday. USA Hockey plans to announce its roster Friday morning on NBC’s “Today.” This is the first time in 12 years that NHL players have participated in the Olympic Games.
The tournament begins in Milan, Italy on February 11. The United States is scheduled to face Latvia on February 12, Denmark on February 14 and Germany on February 15.
The aforementioned trio joins six players previously named to Team USA – forwards Jack Eichel of the Vegas Golden Knights, Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Brady Tkachuk of the Ottawa Senators and Matthew Tkachuk of the Panthers and defensemen Quinn Hughes of the Minnesota Wild and Charlie McAvoy of the Boston Bruins.
With the exception of Hughes, who was injured at the time, these players were part of the 4 Nations showdown team that lost to Canada in the tournament final last February in Boston.
Led by head coach Mike Sullivan of the New York Rangers, Team USA is seeking its first Olympic gold medal since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team won gold in Lake Placid, New York.
“The hope is to go to Milan and win the gold medal,” Eichel said at the U.S. Olympic orientation camp in September. “I think anything less would be disappointing.”
Keller, 27, is no stranger to Team USA. He served as captain at the World Championships last May, when the Americans won their first gold medal at the event since 1933.
Keller, a St. Louis area native who was the No. 7 overall pick by the Arizona Coyotes in 2016, posted a career-high 90 points last season and is currently tied for the Mammoth team lead in scoring with 33 points (12 goals, 21 assists) in 40 games. Keller’s 10th NHL season has already been filled with emotions following the unexpected death of his father, Bryan, in November.
Thompson, 28, was selected 26th overall by the St. Louis Blues in 2016 and is having another good season with the Sabres, who acquired the Phoenix native in the 2018 trade that sent forward Ryan O’Reilly to the Blues.
Thompson leads the Sabers with 34 points (18 goals, 16 assists) in 38 games this season, his ninth in the NHL. He scored in overtime against Switzerland to give Team USA a 1-0 victory in the gold medal game at last May’s world championships.
Jones, 31, son of former NBA player Popeye Jones, is playing his 13th season in the NHL and won his first Stanley Cup with the Panthers in June.
A native of Arlington, Texas, Jones has 24 points (six goals, 18 assists) this season in 39 games. He was the fourth overall pick in the 2013 draft by the Nashville Predators and also played for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks.
