United States aims for Olympic gold in ice hockey
PLYMOUTH, Michigan – The U.S. men’s ice hockey team, expected to field its best roster at the upcoming Winter Olympics with the return of NHL players, does not shy away from the magnitude of what’s at stake.The expectation is to go to Milan and win the gold medal. Anything less than that would be disappointing.
Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights star
The United States hasn’t won an Olympic gold medal in men’s ice hockey since the historic 1980 team, known as the “Miracle on Ice.” However, the American team is no longer considered a simple “underdog.” Hockey has grown enormously in the United States, with participation having tripled since 1980. With the return of NHL players to the Olympics for the first time in 12 years, a golden generation of superstars is preparing for a golden opportunity.
This week, 44 players gathered at USA Hockey’s Olympic orientation camp in Plymouth, Michigan. The final roster of 25 players, with two more spots than in the 4 Nations tournament, will be announced in early January. USA Hockey general manager Bill Guerin expressed his satisfaction with the cohesion of the American team in the 4 Nations tournament last February, although he regretted the overtime loss to Canada in the final.The stakes are extremely high; they’ve never been higher. These events give us the opportunity to say that we feel the United States is at the top of this sport. We feel we are as good, if not better, than any country competing in this game. And these events give us the opportunity to prove it.
Mike Sullivan, coach
Guerin’s staff faces difficult decisions, including the possibility of including players who were not called up for the 4 Nations tournament, such as Jason Robertson, Tage Thompson, Cole Caufield, Seth Jones, and two-time Olympian Patrick Kane, who mentioned that an Olympic gold medal is the only thing missing from his outstanding career. Guerin stated that he will rely heavily on assistant coach John Tortorella, who is not currently on an NHL bench, to act as a scout during the start of the NHL season, paying special attention to players who are in the “bubble.” Versatility and adaptation to roles will be key assets, according to Guerin. The general manager also spoke about establishing a new culture and a new standard for USA Hockey, starting with an emphasis on the World Championships. The United States won gold at this event in May for the first time in 92 years. The American team invited several young members of that team, Jackson LaCombe, Frank Nazar, Alex Vlasic, and Shane Pinto, to their orientation camp as a reward for their commitment.That was emotional. It was tough.
Bill Guerin, general manager of USA Hockey
The United States seeks revenge against a powerful Canadian team, which won the 4 Nations tournament with Connor McDavid, Nathan MacKinnon, and Sidney Crosby leading the way.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. I’m not afraid to say that we don’t look at that with the Olympics approaching. That is the biggest stage.
Bill Guerin, general manager of USA Hockey
Vancouver Canucks captain Quinn Hughes, who missed the 4 Nations tournament due to injury, believes a gold medal will be the culmination of concerted efforts to grow the sport.We can’t just sit here and say, “Good job, you know, it was close.” That’s just not good enough. We have to find a way to overcome that obstacle.
Bill Guerin, USA Hockey general manager
USA Hockey has put a lot of work into its youth development programs, its national team development program, and I feel like they’re starting to see the results, where we have some really, really elite players and the best players in the world. I feel like it’s gold or nothing, personally.
Quinn Hughes, captain of the Vancouver Canucks
