2026 Winter Olympics USA Hockey Team Roster & Player List
The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics mark the historic return of NHL players to Olympic hockey, instantly elevating the tournament’s intensity. Team USA has arrived in Italy with arguably the deepest combined men’s and women’s rosters in its Olympic history.
Below is a complete, detailed look at the rosters, captaincy, projected lines, NHL representation, schedule outlook, and tournament bracket implications.
🇺🇸 Team USA Men’s Hockey Roster – Olympic Breakdown
The U.S. men’s team is captained by Auston Matthews and coached by Mike Sullivan.
🔹 Forwards
Auston Matthews (C)
Matthew Tkachuk (A)
Brady Tkachuk
Jack Eichel
Jack Hughes
Dylan Larkin
Kyle Connor
Matt Boldy
Tage Thompson
J.T. Miller
Jake Guentzel
Clayton Keller
Brock Nelson
Vincent Trocheck
🔹 Defense
Quinn Hughes
Charlie McAvoy (A)
Zach Werenski
Jaccob Slavin
Brock Faber
Jake Sanderson
Noah Hanifin
Jackson LaCombe
🔹 Goaltenders
Connor Hellebuyck
Jake Oettinger
Jeremy Swayman
Injury Update: Seth Jones withdrew due to an upper-body injury. Jackson LaCombe was added as replacement.
🔥 Projected Team USA Men’s Lines
First Line
Matthews – Tkachuk – Eichel
Heavy scoring power with elite finishing.
Second Line
Jack Hughes – Larkin – Connor
Speed-driven transition attack.
Third Line
Miller – Nelson – Guentzel
Two-way reliability and playoff experience.
Fourth Line
Keller – Trocheck – Thompson
Energy + depth scoring.
Defensive Pairings
Quinn Hughes – McAvoy
Werenski – Slavin
Sanderson – Faber
Starting Goalie Projection
Connor Hellebuyck is expected to start key medal games.
🇺🇸 Team USA Women’s Hockey Roster – Elite Continuity
Led by legendary captain Hilary Knight, the women’s team enters Milano-Cortina with 21 of 23 players returning from the 2025 World Championship gold squad.
Head Coach: John Wroblewski
🔹 Forwards
Hilary Knight (C)
Alex Carpenter (A)
Kendall Coyne Schofield
Taylor Heise
Abbey Murphy
Kelly Pannek
Hayley Scamurra
Grace Zumwinkle
Hannah Bilka
Tessa Janecke
Joy Dunne
Britta Curl-Salemme
Kirsten Simms
🔹 Defense
Megan Keller (A)
Lee Stecklein
Cayla Barnes
Caroline Harvey
Rory Guilday
Haley Winn
Laila Edwards
🔹 Goaltenders
Aerin Frankel
Ava McNaughton
Gwyneth Philips
🥅 Women’s Projected Top Line
Knight – Carpenter – Coyne Schofield
Elite experience + speed + leadership.
Defensively, Keller and Barnes anchor a blue line built for puck movement and zone exits.
🏒 Olympic Hockey Rosters by NHL Team (Men’s Overview)
Team USA pulls players from major NHL franchises including:
- Toronto Maple Leafs
- Florida Panthers
- Boston Bruins
- Vegas Golden Knights
- New York Rangers
- Dallas Stars
The return of NHL participation significantly raises tournament parity, especially against:
- Canada men’s national ice hockey team
- Sweden
- Finland
🇨🇦 Canada Hockey Roster (Context Overview)
Canada enters the tournament with a similarly stacked NHL-heavy lineup. While official combinations vary, Team Canada remains the USA’s primary gold-medal rival.
The USA vs Canada women’s preliminary matchup on Feb 10 already delivered high-intensity play, continuing the rivalry’s Olympic tradition.
📅 Team USA Hockey Schedule – Key Dates
Men’s Team
- Feb 12, 2026 – vs Latvia
- Round-robin continues through mid-February
- Quarterfinals projected: Feb 18–19
- Medal rounds: Feb 22–24
Women’s Team
- Feb 10 – vs Canada (Round Robin)
- Semifinals projected mid-February
- Gold medal game expected Feb 22
🏆 Olympic Hockey Bracket Structure
The Olympic format includes:
- Round Robin Group Stage
- Qualification Round
- Quarterfinals
- Semifinals
- Bronze & Gold Medal Games
Top-seeded teams receive automatic quarterfinal berths, making group performance critical.
🔥 Why This Olympic Tournament Is Historic
- First NHL participation since 2014
- Superstar sibling duos (Tkachuks, Hughes brothers)
- Hilary Knight’s fifth Olympic appearance
- USA men considered legitimate gold favorites
This is arguably the most talent-rich American Olympic hockey roster ever assembled.
Team USA Hockey Captain – Olympics 2026
Men’s Captain: Auston Matthews
Alternates: Matthew Tkachuk & Charlie McAvoy
Women’s Captain: Hilary Knight
Alternates: Alex Carpenter & Megan Keller
Leadership on both squads blends youth and elite championship experience.
Final Outlook
The United States enters Milano-Cortina 2026 as a dual medal favorite.
Men’s Team Strengths:
- Elite scoring depth
- Strong goaltending
- Fast defensive transition
Women’s Team Strengths:
- Championship continuity
- Veteran leadership
- Structured defensive systems
