The only thing set so far for the 2026 U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team is general manager Bill Guerin and coach Mike Sullivan.
But the U.S. team for next week’s 4 Nations Face-Off could serve as a blueprint for the NHL’s return to the Olympics for the first time since 2014 in Sochi, Russia.
The United States, Canada, Finland and Sweden will play in the 4 Nations tournament from Feb. 12-20 in Montreal and Boston. If the USA wins, that would be a good sign of what the core of next year’s Olympic team could look like. A lot, though, will depend on how U.S. players are faring early in the 2025-26 season before teams are finalized.
Here’s the U.S. 4 Nations Face-Off U.S. roster (listed alphabetically) and others who could be in the mix for 2026:
Forwards
- Matt Boldy, Minnesota Wild
- Kyle Connor, Winnipeg Jets
- Jack Eichel, Vegas Golden Knights
- Jake Guentzel, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Jack Hughes, New Jersey Devils
- Chris Kreider, New York Rangers
- Dylan Larkin, Detroit Red Wings
- Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs
- J.T. Miller, New York Rangers
- Brock Nelson, New York Islanders
- Brady Tkachuk, Ottawa Senators
- Matthew Tkachuk, Florida Panthers
- Vincent Trocheck, New York Rangers
Much of this lineup should be the same. Matthews, Hughes, the Tkachuk brothers and Connor are key players and Boldy is a rising star. The question involves Kreider, Trocheck and Nelson, who are in their 30s. So is Miller, but he seems likely to stick around.
The USA has a deep talent pool, however. Utah’s Clayton Keller is having a strong start this season. Dallas’ Jason Robertson missed this year’s cut because of a slow start but he twice has scored 40 goals. Montreal’s Cole Caufield, Utah’s Logan Cooley and Buffalo’s Tage Thompson and Alex Tuch could also get a look.
Defensemen
- D Brock Faber, Minnesota Wild
- D Adam Fox, New York Rangers
- D Noah Hanifin, Vegas Golden Knights
- D Quinn Hughes, Vancouver Canucks
- D Charlie McAvoy, Boston Bruins
- D Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
- D Zach Werenski, Columbus Blue Jackets
This group will be one of the top blue lines at the 4 Nations. But the USA has other defensemen who could make a case. Montreal’s Lane Hutson is among the favorites for rookie of the year. Ottawa’s Jake Sanderson, Winnipeg’s Neal Pionk, New Jersey’s Luke Hughes and others could also get a look. If Luke Hughes makes it, that would be three Hughes brothers at the Olympics.
Goaltenders
- Connor Hellebuyck, Winnipeg Jets
- Jake Oettinger, Dallas Stars
- Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins
This could easily be the goaltending mix for 2026. Hellebuyck is a two-time Vezina Trophy winner and Oettinger and Swayman have solid credentials. Vancouver’s Thatcher Demko would have been in the mix at the 4 Nations, but he was hurt for the start of the season. If he gets off to a strong start next season, he could be considered.
Other U.S. goalies to watch: Calgary’s Dustin Wolf, a rookie of the year candidate, and Seattle’s Joey Daccord.
