- USA Hockey has invited all 23 players from the 4 Nations Face-Off.
- Twelve players who won world championships gold have been invited.
- The USA should be a championship threat at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
USA Hockey has invited 44 NHL players to an orientation session, providing an early glimpse of who’s in the mix for the 2026 Olympics men’s hockey team.
The session will be held Aug. 26-27 in Plymouth, Michigan. It will be mostly an administrative and team-building event and there won’t be any official on-ice activity.
USA Hockey said players don’t have to attend the orientation session in order to make the final 25-person roster. That team is expected to be announced in early January. The men’s hockey tournament will run from Feb. 6-22, 2026, as the NHL returns to the Olympics for the first time since 2014.
The invite list includes all 23 players who were on the 4 Nations Face-Off team that finished second to Canada last February. There are 12 players who won a gold medal at the world championships in May. Former Olympians Patrick Kane, Ryan McDonagh, Brock Faber, Matthew Knies and Jake Sanderson will be there.
The USA and other countries have already named their initial six players for the men’s Olympic hockey teams. Here’s who has been invited to Team USA’s orientation camp:
USA Hockey orientation session roster
Goaltenders: Joey Daccord, Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, Jeremy Swayman
Defensemen: Brock Faber, Adam Fox, Luke Hughes, Quinn Hughes, Noah Hanifin, Seth Jones, Jackson LaCombe, Charlie McAvoy, Ryan McDonagh, Brett Pesce, Neal Pionk, Jake Sanderson, Brady Skjei, Jaccob Slavin, Alex Vlasic, Zach Werenski
Forwards: Matt Boldy, Cole Caufield, Logan Cooley, Kyle Connor, Jack Eichel, Conor Garland, Jake Guentzel, Jack Hughes, Patrick Kane, Clayton Keller, Matthew Knies, Chris Kreider, Dylan Larkin, Auston Matthews, J.T. Miller, Frank Nazar, Brock Nelson, Shane Pinto, Jason Robertson, Bryan Rust, Tage Thompson, Brady Tkachuk, Vincent Trocheck, Alex Tuch
Roster analysis
USA Hockey is showing a lot of loyalty to players who have brought it success – and for good reason. The U.S. entry at the 4 Nations Face-Off was dangerous, falling to Canada in overtime of the championship game as it dealt with several big injuries. The world championships gold was the USA’s first since 1933.
The U.S. roster should be a threat in Milan, particularly in net. Hellebuyck is coming off a rare Hart Trophy/Vezina Trophy double. On defense, Werenski was a Norris Trophy finalist last season and former winner Quinn Hughes was sorely missed at the 4 Nations.
The forward group has plenty of offense (Eichel, Matthews, Connor, the Tkachuk brothers) and grit (the Tkachuks). Keller, who wasn’t on the 4 Nations team, could make the Olympic roster after scoring 90 points last season. Knies, who turns 23 in October, will push older veterans for a spot.
Some names that are missing: Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, the rookie of the year, and Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko and forward Brock Boeser.
Breaking down the roster
Original six players named
(*-Played in 4 Nations Face-Off)
- F Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights*
- F Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs*
- F Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators*
- F Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers* (Tkachuk, who’s debating whether to have surgery, won’t attend the camp)
- D Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks (was injured at the time and couldn’t play in 4 Nations)
- D Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins*
Other 4 Nations players
- F Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild
- F Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets
- F Jake Guentzel, Tampa Bay Lightning
- F Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
- F Chris Kreider, Anaheim Ducks
- F Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
- F J.T. Miller, New York Rangers
- F Brock Nelson, Colorado Avalanche
- F Vincent Trocheck, New York Rangers
- D Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild
- D Adam Fox, New York Rangers
- D Noah Hanifin, Vegas Golden Knights
- D Jake Sanderson, Ottawa Senators
- D Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
- D Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
- G Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
- G Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
- G Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins
World championships players
- F Logan Cooley, Utah Mammoth
- F Conor Garland, Vancouver Canucks
- F Clayton Keller, Utah Mammoth
- F Frank Nazar, Chicago Blackhawks
- F Shane Pinto, Ottawa Senators
- F Tage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres
- D Jackson LaCombe, Anaheim Ducks
- D Brady Skjei, Nashville Predators
- D Alex Vlasic, Chicago Blackhawks
- G Joey Daccord, Seattle Kraken
Note: Werenski and Swayman played in both the 4 Nations Face-Off and world championships.
Other players invited to session
- D Luke Hughes, New Jersey Devils
- D Seth Jones, Florida Panthers
- D Ryan McDonagh, Tampa Bay Lightning
- D Brett Pesce, New Jersey Devils
- D Neal Pionk, Winnipeg Jets
- F Cole Caufield, Montreal Canadiens
- F Patrick Kane, Detroit Red Wings
- F Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars
- F Bryan Rust, Pittsburgh Penguins
- F Alex Tuch, Buffalo Sabres
(This story has been updated to add new information.)