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Greg Wyshynski
Like every American hockey player over the past 45 years, the NHL stars on the United States 4 Nations Face-Off roster are obsessed with the Miracle on Ice.
More to the point, they’re obsessed with the movie “Miracle,” which chronicled that seminal moment in sports history when the U.S. upset the Soviets in the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics before eventually winning the gold medal.
After the U.S. beat Canada in Montreal, cameras caught Jack Hughes singing along to Aerosmith’s “Dream On,” which was featured in the movie. When Matthew Tkachuk declared that Team USA wanted to send a message that “it’s our time,” it echoed Kurt Russell’s epic speech as coach Herb Brooks before playing the Soviets: “This is your time. Their time is done. It’s over.”
The Miracle on Ice still resonates because it’s the greatest moment in U.S. hockey history, precisely because it remains the last time the men’s team captured gold. The next four decades featured promising teams and talented players with the potential for Olympic glory, but all fell short of the ultimate goal.
The 2026 Olympic men’s hockey team feels like the culmination of those years chasing gold. Generations inspired by the Miracle. NHL expansion into “non-traditional” markets, which created an unprecedented spike in elite talent. The slow, steady domination of Team USA at other levels of hockey — such as world juniors, where the U.S. has won back-to-back titles.
“Our player pool is second to none. Over the last 20 years, USA Hockey has done a terrific job, with the overall focus on development of players at a young age,” U.S. general manager Bill Guerin said last year. “But we’re going to have to play the game and find out on the ice.”
When the Americans hit the Olympic ice in Italy next year, they’ll do so as a tournament favorite. As the 4 Nations Face-Off hinted at this month, the potential U.S. roster is deep with high-end scoring talent, physical players, defensive specialists and the greatest collection of goaltenders in the world. They can stand toe-to-toe with any hockey superpower in the world and — thanks to players such as the Tkachuk brothers — have the confidence to believe they’re superior.
But the team that competed at 4 Nations merely offered a template for the 2026 roster.
“This is probably not going to be the exact lineup that we take to the Olympics,” Guerin said before the tournament.
Here’s a look at where the 2026 U.S. Olympic roster stands after the 4 Nations Face-Off, from the mortal locks for Italy to the players trying to bang the door down to join the team.
Forward locks
Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights
Jake Guentzel, Tampa Bay Lightning
Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers
It can’t be overstated how important Matthew and Brady Tkachuk have been to the U.S. national team. On the ice, they create scoring chances and provide an antagonistic physical presence. Off the ice, they’ve infused the national team with a braggadocio that it has lacked since the mid-1990s, when players such as Jeremy Roenick and Brett Hull brought their big personalities to the locker room.
It’s not all that different than when Matthew Tkachuk was acquired by the Panthers in 2022. GM Bill Zito rightfully called him a “generational talent,” but also knew his attitude could have a transformative effect on the franchise. They made the Stanley Cup Final in his first season in Florida, upsetting the heavily favored Boston Bruins in the first round thanks to Tkachuk’s defiant confidence. The Panthers won the Stanley Cup for the first time the following season.
“Brady and Matthew have the ability, through their personality, to give our team a whole lot of confidence and swagger,” U.S. coach Mike Sullivan said during 4 Nations. “There’s a certain determination that those guys have to want to win.”
Matthew Tkachuk was one of the initial group of players named to the U.S. roster at 4 Nations. The other two were Matthews and Eichel, both of whom were cited for their skill and leadership. They’re locks.
Guentzel continued his legacy as a clutch scorer with three goals and an assist through Team USA’s first three games of 4 Nations. His 38 postseason goals since 2017 are the sixth most in the NHL during that span. As he has shown with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning, Guentzel can find chemistry with elite scorers and bolster their lines.
Hughes had an interesting ride in 4 Nations. He pumped 10 shots on goal in his first three games but only mustered a secondary assist in the Americans’ rout of Finland. He struggled to create offense with his usual panache while shifting from center to wing. But the supremely talented New Jersey Devils star earned some valuable experience ahead of what will be another berth on the national team roster.
Larkin flashed his game-breaking speed and was the offensive difference-maker in the win over Canada in Montreal, scoring the go-ahead goal. The Red Wings center was used as a primary penalty killer for Sullivan. He did nothing in 4 Nations but help his case for the Olympics.
Forward maybes
Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild
Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets
Chris Kreider, New York Rangers
J.T. Miller, New York Rangers
Brock Nelson, New York Islanders
Vincent Trocheck, New York Rangers
I asked Boldy whether he viewed the 4 Nations tournament as an Olympic audition. “We’re here to win and to play good hockey, so no, it hasn’t really been on my mind,” he responded.
That might be true, but so is this: Boldy has played himself on to the cusp of “lock” status for the 2026 team. He had a goal and two assists in the first three games and saw a bit of time on Sullivan’s power play unit. Between 2024 IIHF worlds and 4 Nations, the 23-year-old winger has enough experience ahead of the Olympics. The fact U.S. GM Bill Guerin also runs the Minnesota Wild gave Boldy a higher bar to clear than most on this team, and he cleared it.
Connor should end up on the Olympic squad as one of USA Hockey’s top goal-scoring wingers — he has 142 goals over his past four seasons, 13th best in the NHL. That said, he’s a top-six forward without a spot in the top six thanks to Guentzel and Brady Tkachuk.
Being in the Tkachuks’ group chat is great, but it’s Miller’s physicality and versatility that’ll put him squarely on the Team USA radar for Italy. Like Larkin, he was a primary penalty killer for Sullivan. Unlike Larkin, he’ll be 32 next winter.
Nelson (33), Kreider (33) and Trocheck (31) made the 4 Nations roster ahead of younger, more offensively-oriented players. In her player assessment article, ESPN’s Rachel Doerrie noted Nelson and Trocheck “have struggled to impact this tournament in any meaningful way” after being added as gritty role players. That said, it’s hard to imagine Guerin and Sullivan not bringing along some veteran, bottom-six grunts to balance out the skill guys in Italy.
Forwards ready to draw in
Brock Boeser, Vancouver Canucks
Cole Caufield, Montreal Canadiens
Logan Cooley, Utah Hockey Club
Alex DeBrincat, Detroit Red Wings
Conor Garland, Vancouver Canucks
Clayton Keller, Utah Hockey Club
Matthew Knies, Toronto Maple Leafs
Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars
Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres
Alex Tuch, Buffalo Sabres
Thompson is easily the one to watch after the U.S called on him as an injury reserve player in 4 Nations. The 6-foot-6 Sabres center was one of the most curious “snubs” on the 4 Nations roster, given his offensive prowess (26 goals, 22 assists in 48 games with Buffalo this season). One assumes the expanded Olympic roster will mean he’ll earn a spot.
Caufield (26 goals), DeBrincat (24), Keller (20), Robertson (20) and Boeser (18) all fall in that category of player who might not bring enough of the “total package” to warrant inclusion over the veteran, 200-foot players who made the 4 Nations team. But one could see the U.S. brain trust dedicating one of their extras to a pure offensive dynamo, in case anyone in their top six is injured. Caufield could have the inside track there, although 20-year-old Logan Cooley (43 points in 50 games) is an interesting case.
Knies is one to watch here, given his size (6-3), physicality and chemistry with Matthews. If you don’t think the ability to click with a team’s top scorer can’t get you on the national team roster, just ask 2014 Olympian and Sidney Crosby linemate Chris Kunitz. Tuch is another physical option for the U.S.
Defenseman locks
Adam Fox, New York Rangers
Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks
Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins
Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
Hughes is obviously the biggest change from the 4 Nations roster to the 2026 Olympic team. He initially made Team USA’s roster but had to back out because of an oblique injury. Despite some rather intense speculation about his rejoining the team for their tournament final against Canada — please recall Sullivan’s ominous “Quinn Hughes is coming” declaration — the Canucks said he wasn’t medically cleared to participate.
He won the Norris Trophy as the NHL’s top defenseman last season. He has 14 goals and 59 points to lead the Canucks, and is averaging more than 25:18 in ice time per game this season. He immediately becomes a top-pairing defenseman and power-play quarterback for the Olympic squad.
Theoretically, Adam Fox was supposed to play that role for the Americans in 4 Nations, but he had an ineffective tournament overall. More impressive than Fox in the tournament was a player who is right in the mix with Hughes for the Norris this season: Werenski, who was outstanding in 4 Nations and is having the best season of his NHL career, all with the Blue Jackets. He drove play for the Americans and led the U.S. in points (five) through three games. If he’s healthy, he’ll be in Italy.
McAvoy’s tournament had an unfortunate end after he was hospitalized with an infection in his right shoulder and a significant injury to his AC joint, according to the Bruins. He had a strong tournament before that, including a hit on Connor McDavid in the win over Canada in Montreal that immediately landed on the highlight packages. Sullivan said McAvoy played “extremely well” in 4 Nations.
Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour was once asked whether Slavin ever makes a mistake. “You know what … I don’t know. I mean, I’m sure he does here and there, but not very often and that’s pretty incredible, really,” he said.
That’s all one needs to know about Slavin, who reminded everyone that he remains one of the best defensive defensemen of the past 20 years while paired with Brock Faber during 4 Nations.
Defensemen maybes
Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild
Noah Hanifin, Vegas Golden Knights
Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators
Logic would dictate that if Slavin’s a lock, Faber should be one too, given their chemistry at 4 Nations. But with a healthy Quinn Hughes, we’ll put the 22-year-old right on the cusp. He has always played well beyond his years, and having Guerin assembling this team works in his favor.
Hanifin’s best game might have been against Canada in Montreal, which isn’t a bad thing to have on his résumé. Otherwise, the Golden Knights defenseman was solid but not spectacular. Sanderson hopped into the lineup for McAvoy in the Americans’ last two games, and the 22-year-old was terrific. Sullivan called him “an emerging star” after replacing McAvoy.
“He’s a mobile guy. He defends really well. He’s got a high hockey IQ,” Sullivan said. “I think he has an offensive dimension to his game. He’s really good at joining the rush. We really like his game. He’s a terrific player.”
In theory, the U.S. could just run it back with the seven defensemen they’ve used at 4 Nations plus a returning Quinn Hughes and call it a day. But there are some other interesting options knocking on the door.
Defensemen ready to draw in
John Carlson, Washington Capitals
Lane Hutson, Montreal Canadiens
Luke Hughes, New Jersey Devils
Ryan McDonagh, Tampa Bay Lightning
K’Andre Miller, New York Rangers
Seth Jones, Chicago Blackhawks
Brett Pesce, New Jersey Devils
Neal Pionk, Winnipeg Jets
Carlson (35 years old) and McDonagh (35) could bring previous Olympic experience to the 2026 team; both played in the 2014 Sochi Games. But one senses that Team USA wants to skew a bit younger based on how it built the 4 Nations blue line.
Jones, 30, recently revealed that he’s talking about trade options with Blackhawks management. The only way he’s increasing his profile for an Olympic berth is probably to shine with a Stanley Cup contender.
Pionk, 29, doesn’t get a ton of attention playing for the Jets, but he’s a solid offensive contributor who can be a power-play quarterback. Miller, 25, has been up and down for the Rangers this season. Pesce was an injury replacement call-up for the championship game, and that warrants a mention.
The two most intriguing options here are Hutson, the brilliant 21-year-old rookie of the year contender for the Canadiens; and Hughes, also 21, who has really come into his own in his second NHL season with the Devils. Hutson’s dynamic offense might not be enough to overcome concerns about the totality of his game from Team USA management. Hughes offers the tantalizing chance to unite Quinn, Jack and Luke on the same U.S. roster for the first time.
Goalie locks
Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
Hellebuyck won the Vezina Trophy last season, will probably win it again this season and finally quieted some critics of his play in pressure situations with his performance in 4 Nations. Now he gets a chance to do what Mike Richter, Ryan Miller and Jonathan Quick couldn’t do: Deliver the first gold medal in men’s hockey for the U.S. since the one Jim Craig won in 1980.
Oettinger had the misfortune of getting his only start in 4 Nations in a game against Sweden that (A) didn’t mean anything, and (B) featured a short-handed American roster due to injuries. He still stopped 21 of 23 shots. His next start for the national team should be group play in the Olympics.
Goaltending maybes
Thatcher Demko, Vancouver Canucks
Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins
Swayman was the third goaltender on the 4 Nations roster. Demko was projected to fill that role for months ahead of the tournament, but last season’s runner-up for the Vezina Trophy has had a nightmarish past 12 months, injury-wise. He has the talent to make the cut and be the third keeper in Italy, but not if he can’t stay in the Vancouver lineup.
Goaltenders ready to draw in
Joey Daccord, Seattle Kraken
John Gibson, Anaheim Ducks
Anthony Stolarz, Toronto Maple Leafs
Dustin Wolf, Calgary Flames
Joseph Woll, Toronto Maple Leafs
Let it never be said the Americans don’t have goaltending options. Some of these guys could probably star for Team Canada, or at least offer healthy competition as a backup netminder. But can any of them break through for a spot on the 2026 Olympic team?
The competition is now. And the Winter Games will be here before we know it.