The United States enters the 2026 Winter Olympic Games in search of its first gold medal in men’s hockey since 1980.
And much like the team that produced Miracle on Ice, the latest iteration of Team USA features plenty of New England connections, including four natives of the region.
This Olympic tournament in Milan, Italy, comes with even greater excitement from the hockey world. It will feature NHL players for the first time since 2014, creating true best-on-best play. All nine players with local ties are first-time Olympians.
Action begins Thursday, with the U.S. squad competing against Germany, Latvia and Denmark in Group C.
Here is the schedule:
- Thurs., Feb. 12: vs. Latvia, 3:10 p.m. ET (USA Network)
- Sat., Feb. 14: vs. Denmark, 3:10 p.m. ET (USA Network)
- Sun., Feb. 15: vs. Germany, 3:10 p.m. ET (USA Network)
The playoff round is Tuesday, Feb. 17. The gold medal game is Sunday, Feb. 22.
Here is a look at the New Englanders.
Matt Boldy
Hometown: Millis, Mass.
Position: Forward
College: Boston College
Current: Minnesota Wild
The 24-year-old Boldy, whose New England hockey path included a prep stop at Dexter Southfield, is the top American scorer in the NHL this season with 32 goals for the Minnesota Wild. He trails only Canadian superstars Nathan MacKinnon and Connor McDavid among league leaders. With 62 points in 54 games, he’s on pace to shatter his career-high 73 from last season. His Team USA experience includes notching a team-high 14 points at the 2024 World Championship.
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Jack Eichel
Hometown: North Chelmsford, Mass.
Position: Forward
College: Boston University
Current: Vegas Golden Knights
Eichel started the season signing an eight-year contract extension with the Vegas Golden Knights, and all he’s done since is score at a pace for his first career 100-point season with 68 in 50 games. As an “original six” pick to the Olympic roster, he figures to draw the same top-line assignment he had at 4 Nations, dishing out a team-high four assists. Eichel captained the U.S. at World Juniors and won the Hobey Baker Award during the same 2014-15 season.
Noah Hanifin
Hometown: Norwood, Mass.
Position: Defenseman
College: Boston College
Current: Vegas Golden Knights
Hanifin has two goals and 20 points in 47 games alongside Eichel in Vegas, putting him third among the team’s blueliners. Those numbers are down from scoring double-digit goals in each of the previous three seasons. The former St. Sebastian’s star played in every game during 4 Nations as Team USA dealt with injury concerns, so he could wind up as an extra defenseman should the group stay at full strength for the duration of the tournament.
Connor Hellebuyck
Hometown: Commerce, Mich.
Position: Goalie
College: UMass Lowell
Current: Winnipeg Jets
Hellebuyck’s Olympic appearance comes as no surprise, as the reigning Hart Trophy and three-time Vezina Trophy winner carried the goaltending load with strength for the U.S. at 4 Nations a year ago. However, a 2.79 goals-against average and .900 save percentage this season are some of the worst marks of his NHL career. With just one win in his last eight starts (1-4-3), he’ll look to find his footing at the Olympics.
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Charlie McAvoy
Hometown: Long Beach, N.Y.
Position: Defenseman
College: Boston University
Current: Boston Bruins
Multiple injuries have made it a tough calendar year-plus for McAvoy, but he was still one of Team USA’s initial Olympic picks and leads Bruins defensemen in scoring with 39 points in 45 games this season. After a shoulder injury at 4 Nations kept him out for the rest of last season, he took a slap shot to the face this November and missed 11 games. Fully healthy now, McAvoy put together a seven-game point streak for the Bruins before the Olympic break and figures to assume top defensive responsibilities.
Jake Oettinger
Hometown: Lakeville, Minn.
Position: Goalie
College: Boston University
Current: Dallas Stars
Oettinger boasts a 23-10-4 record, but his individual numbers — a 2.73 goals-against average and .897 save percentage — actually lag behind fellow New Englander Casey DeSmith (Rochester, N.H.) in the Dallas Stars’ goaltending tandem. It has been a strange season for the former Terrier, who won a season-best six straight starts before the break, but did so while posting numbers worse than his season totals (.864 save percentage). Back in October, he became the fastest American goalie in NHL history to reach 150 career wins.
Jeremy Swayman
Hometown: Anchorage, Alaska
Position: Goalie
College: Maine
Current: Boston Bruins
Swayman was behind Hellebuyck and Oettinger on the depth chart at 4 Nations, but a bounce-back season could line him up for the starting role. His .903 save percentage is the best of the trio, and he’s already matched his 22 wins last season for the Bruins, including a 3-0-1 run before the break. In his most recent international competition, Swayman went 7-0-0 in leading Team USA to World Championship gold last spring.
Tage Thompson
Hometown: Orange, Conn.
Position: Forward
College: UConn
Current: Buffalo Sabres
One of only four U.S. roster newcomers since 4 Nations, Thompson has reached the 30-goal mark for the second straight season and fourth in the last five to earn his Olympic nod. The 6-foot-6, 220-pound center has been on a heater since the start of January, netting 22 of his 58 points in his last 18 games. That recent performance has helped the Buffalo Sabres go 11-5-2 and climb the Eastern Conference standings, and he’ll look to provide the same punch to Team USA.
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Brady Tkachuk
Hometown: St. Louis, Mo.
Position: Forward
College: Boston University
Current: Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators captain has 14 goals and 37 points in 37 games this season, having been sidelined for 20 games following surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right thumb. Tkachuk was dynamite in January with eight goals and 18 points, and hopes to provide that scoring touch and bruising play on the world’s stage. Playing alongside brother Matthew Tkachuk at 4 Nations last winter, he co-led Team USA with three goals in four games.
