United States Prepares for the 2026 Olympic Ice Hockey Games
The 4 Nations Face-Off tournament last February was a resounding success, setting the stage for even more competitive 2026 Olympic Games in Milan. With the participation of NHL players for the first time in 12 years, USA coach Mike Sullivan declared that “the stakes have never been higher” for the 12-team tournament.
Last week, the United States team met at an orientation camp in Plymouth, Michigan. Players and managers did not shy away from the pressure.
“The expectation is to go to Milan and win the gold medal. I think anything less would be disappointing.”
Jack Eichel, Vegas star
With the aim of winning their first Olympic gold in men’s hockey since the “Miracle on Ice” of 1980, American talent is deeper than ever. General Manager Bill Guerin and his team face difficult decisions.
“The guys who played in the 4 Nations did a great job, but we have to go back to the drawing board and start again,” Guerin said. “Players need to be playing well. They need to be healthy. It’s difficult to say how much the roster will change. I don’t know. We’ll see over time, but having two extra spots is huge.”
Bill Guerin, General ManagerFive months away, here’s what you need to know about the U.S. team’s formation.
The Two-Day Camp and Expectations
The two-day camp, about three weeks before the start of NHL training camps, did not include on-ice sessions, nor were systems or strategies discussed. The main focus was to foster camaraderie and set expectations. Guerin gathered the 44 players in a ballroom for a talk. The message, according to the players, was clear: the United States team performed well in the 4 Nations, but fell short. The Olympics are a bigger stage, with more tradition. The 2026 Games are an excellent opportunity to demonstrate how far the United States has come as a hockey nation.
“I think the message is that we can play any style. We can go up against any team, no matter how they’re built, and we feel confident that we can win.”
Ryan McDonagh, Lightning defenseman
“Expectation is gold and nothing more, and I completely agree. Whoever is part of the team, the talent is incredible.”
Brett Pesce, Devils defenseman
The 23 players who were called up for the 4 Nations team were present, with the exception of Matthew Tkachuk, as well as Jake Sanderson, Tage Thompson, and Pesce, who were later called up as injury/illness replacements. Tkachuk suffered a groin injury and a sports hernia during the 4 Nations, which kept him out of most of the final against Canada, and then the last 25 games of Florida’s regular season before returning in the playoffs. He underwent surgery in the offseason and is expected to miss the start of the NHL regular season.
This summer was important for Tkachuk: he got married at his home in St. Louis and then underwent surgery. Guerin said he was “planning and expecting” Tkachuk to be ready for Milan. Tkachuk’s brother, Brady, was even more emphatic. “I think he is fully expected to not only play, but to be at his best,” he said. “Going back to the injuries he has gone through and played with, he will absolutely give it his all. I know that with his preparation and work ethic, he will probably be in the best shape he has ever been in after this surgery.”
Matthew and Brady talked constantly during the two-day camp, which Matthew did not attend because it was not convenient for him to travel. “He’s had the most FOMO I’ve ever seen him have,” Brady said.
Surprises on the Camp List
The camp’s 44-player roster included some notable omissions, but also some surprising additions: young players like Jackson LaCombe, Frank Nazar, Shane Pinto, and Alex Vlasic, all with little chance of making the team. What they have in common: they were on the roster in May for the world championships, which the United States men’s team won for the first time in 92 years. That commitment was rewarded.
The United States team won gold at the world championships in May.
“We are doing things differently now, and the world championships are absolutely connected to this. If you say no and don’t have a legitimate excuse, it will hurt you,” Guerin said. “I’m not afraid to say that we don’t look at that with the Olympics approaching. That’s the biggest stage. The world championships are huge. They may not be as popular in the United States, but in Europe, in Canada, they are, and it has to be important to us. … We need to know what it’s about. We need to know that you want to help USA Hockey win.”
Bill Guerin, General Manager
Tage Thompson and the Snub
Tage Thompson believes he should have been on the 4 Nations team.
The Sabres star said Guerin called him long before the roster was announced to inform him he was out. “When I got the news, it was obviously a bummer,” Thompson said. “That was a big goal for me and I wanted to be on the team. To be honest, I felt I would do a good job last year.”
The 6-foot-7-inch forward says he adds an element that the US team craves: versatility. “In the early stages of my career, I was in a different role and played more of a defensive role, fourth or third line,” Thompson said. “As I’ve progressed in my career, I’ve been given opportunities to move up, with the ability to score and create plays. If that’s something they already have and don’t need, then I also think that with my size and speed, I can play almost any role they need. PK, power play, whatever.”
Thompson said he didn’t want to project it out loud, but acknowledged that he used the snub as motivation. After his call with Guerin, Thompson scored 33 goals and 54 points in his last 57 games. Thompson says he is putting extra emphasis on consistency and cleaning up his game a bit in the defensive zone. But the 27-year-old player remains confident.
“You’re looking at the top 25 players in the country,” Thompson said. “So now it’s, what role are you going to play and who’s going to do their job the best? I think I can do any of those roles the best.”
Tage Thompson, Sabres Player
John Tortorella and the Coaching Staff
John Tortorella was a silent member of the coaching staff for Team USA at the 4 Nations. Sullivan asked his former mentor to take on a different role. “I don’t want you to be the hammer,” Sullivan told Tortorella. “I’ll be the hammer. I want you to be the wise man. I want you to reveal yourself to the players and the other coaches, to show the John Tortorella that I know, that my wife knows, that my children know, that your children know. The side you don’t show the world very often.”
While younger players loved having Tortorella around, Sullivan credited the former Flyers coach for being his sounding board; it was Tortorella who affirmed to Sullivan that they should put the Tkachuk brothers together on a line midway through the first game against Finland, which changed the dynamic of the tournament.
Since Tortorella is not on an NHL bench this fall, Guerin has assigned Tortorella another new role. The 67-year-old will be on the road at the start of the NHL season to scout, with an added focus on players in the “bubble”.
Intensity on the Ice
Before the 4 Nations, it had been a long time since NHL players had competed in a “best-on-best” competition, and even the stars were surprised by the intensity.
“The game didn’t really translate to the NHL game; it was a different skill level, a different speed,” said goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. “When I got back to my NHL game, I first had to shake off the loss. Then I had to get back to my routine.”
Connor Hellebuyck, Goaltender
Quinn Hughes, who was at home watching the game while injured, noted: “I don’t want to say you couldn’t notice anyone, but I felt like everyone fit in because the guys were so good. I felt like nobody could really stand out or you couldn’t really make your mark on the game. You could have one chance or two chances and it’s taking advantage of those chances or not, but nobody was getting six, seven chances, which you might get in an NHL game.”
Hughes’ Injuries
Hughes was devastated to miss the 4 Nations due to an injury.
“Obviously, I feel like I could have made a difference. I mean, there are still moments in the game where I feel like I could have taken advantage of some things, but you never know,” Hughes said. “The good thing is that, hopefully, I’ll get the opportunity in February again, so I’ll really test myself there.”
Quinn Hughes, Player
It was a difficult season for the Vancouver captain, as he suffered several different injuries.
“I tore my oblique, then I came back a little early and hurt my groin because my oblique was probably weak,” Hughes said. “And then I hurt my hand ligament at the end of December on a direct shot, and I’ve taken two million direct shots in my career, and for some reason that happened.”
Quinn Hughes, Player
He was able to play with a cast on his hand, which he said “actually worked out really well.” It was the oblique, Hughes said, that kept him out of the 4 Nations. The good news heading into an important season, both for the Canucks and for Team USA, is that Hughes said he had a great summer, which he called a mental and physical reset.
Seth Jones Searching for His Place
The move from Chicago to Florida changed Seth Jones’s hockey life. When the 4 Nations roster was unveiled in December, Jones was with the Blackhawks and it seemed like no one was talking about the 30-year-old as a notable omission. Fast forward a few months and Jones played more than any other Panther (aside from goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky) in Florida’s dominant 23-game Stanley Cup run. Jones is now firmly back on the radar.
He is careful when comparing his situation to the Blackhawks and the Panthers, but he believes he played “with more confidence” with Florida.
“I feel comfortable with my situation; during a long playoff run you can show that you can play with that physicality and in different situations during those 2 and a half months,” Jones said. “Hopefully, they saw that.”
Seth Jones, PlayerWith Hughes, Charlie McAvoy, Jaccob Slavin, and Zach Werenski basically locked in the top four spots, the final positions on the blue line are fierce. Adam Fox is coming off a down season, but there was talk at the US camp that the Rangers defenseman is ready for a big comeback. Sanderson, a promising young player, earned his spot in a more regular role after being included in the 4 Nations at 22.
“I’m not sure what my chances are,” Jones said. “But I’m going to do everything I can to achieve it.”
Seth Jones, Player
Intensity at the Start of the Season
An intense season start is approaching. With dozens of players from various countries and NHL teams vying for “bubble” spots on Olympic rosters, there’s a common prediction among players: games during the first three months will have extra “juice.”
“Obviously, it’s going to be interesting to play for your team, your personal team, and then, in the back of your mind, you’re also playing for this, right?” Jones said. “Usually, you have the first 20 games after training camp, everyone is adapting to their system. I think you’ll see a lot more guys looking faster at the beginning of this season, because they’re fighting for something.”
Seth Jones, Player
The 4 Nations marked the first time Brady and Matthew Tkachuk were teammates, outside of an All-Star Game. “It was the little moments: going back to the hotel and going to each other’s rooms, hanging out, having dinner, I felt like we were inseparable for the two weeks. I felt like we were kids again,” said Brady. “It was very special in the locker room, looking across the room and seeing him and hearing what he has to say and his experience of the Stanley Cup of giving it to everyone.”
The Hughes Brothers and the Olympic Dream
Now, the Hughes brothers, who are good friends with the Tkachuks, have the opportunity to do the same. Quinn Hughes has already been named to the team; Jack and Luke hope to join him. Quinn and Jack were teammates on a World Juniors team. Jack and Luke are teammates in New Jersey. But Quinn has never played with Luke, who is 23 years old.
“It’s something we’ve always dreamed of, playing together and wearing the crest,” said Luke Hughes. “For the three of us to do that together would be a great honor. So it will happen someday. I think it will happen someday.”
Luke Hughes, PlayerThe Hughes brothers enjoyed being together at camp last week, and they were together… a lot.
“It’s like three brothers, they bicker back and forth,” Pesce, Luke’s defense partner in New Jersey, said. “And then you add Quinn, he’s the older brother. I feel like he’s like the middle man. They’re always making fun of each other; it’s fun.”
