U.S. Fields Youngest Olympics Men's Hockey Team in Last 28 Years
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Early this year, due to the impact of Covid, the NHL decided its players would skip the Beijing Olympics. As a consequence, USA Hockey turned to the college ranks to fill out the U.S. Olympic Men's Hockey Team. Yesterday, USA Hockey unveiled the Men's Hockey Team which includes 15 NCAA players, including the first teens on the Olympic team in 30 years.
U.S. Hockey General Manager John Vanbiesbrouck doesn't seem to be too concerned, saying "The thinking definitely wasn’t a keg party at a frat house. This is for the here and now. Not once were we thinking of a distant future. We responded quickly, we picked a path and a core group.”
In addition to the college players, there are eight European pros and two players from the American Hockey League (AHL). It's an opportunity for these players to showcase their skills on a high profile stage.
The roster includes:
Forwards
- Nick Abruzzese, Harvard, NCAA
- Ken Agostino, Torpedo, Kontinental Hockey League (KHL)
- Matty Beniers, Michigan, NCAA
- Brendan Brisson, Michigan, NCAA
- Noah Cates, Minnesota-Duluth, NCAA
- Sean Farrell, Harvard, NCAA
- Sam Hentges, St. Cloud State, NCAA
- Matthew Knies, Minnesota, NCAA
- Marc McLaughlin, Boston College, NCAA
- Ben Meyers, Minnesota, NCAA
- Andy Miele, Torpedo, KHL
- Brian O'Neill, Jokerit, KHL
- Nick Shore, Novosibirsk, KHL
- Nathan Smith, Minnesota State, NCAA
Defense
- Brian Cooper, IK Oskarshamn, Swedish Hockey League (SHL)
- Brock Faber, Minnesota, NCAA
- Drew Helleson, Boston College, NCAA
- Steven Kampfer, Ak Bars Kazan, KHL
- Aaron Ness, Providence, AHL
- Nick Perbix, St. Cloud State, NCAA
- Jake Sanderson, North Dakota, NCAA
- David Warsofsky, ERC Ingolstadt
Goaltenders
- Drew Commesso, Boston University, NCAA
- Strauss Mann, Skelleftea, SHL
- Pat Nagle, Lehigh Valley, AHL
The U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team will be sporting new uniforms announced in late November. Jerseys and hoodies will feature a horizontal band with a field of stars around the entirety of the garments with “USA” written within it in white with red trim.