US packs men's squad with NHL stars

USA Hockey unveiled a roster chock-full of NHL stars for next month's Winter Olympics. The 25-man lineup includes 21 players from last year's emotional 4 Nations Face-Off.

Last February's NHL-backed Face-Off event included three fights in the first nine seconds between historic rivals United States and Canada, with tensions heightened by political matters, including President Donald Trump's talk of making Canada the 51st US state.

Canada defeated the US squad in the Face-Off final.

Brothers Matthew Tkachuk of Florida and Brady Tkachuk of Ottawa, who dropped gloves in the first two on-ice 4 Nations fights last year against Canada, and fellow forward JT Miller, involved in the third, were named to the US lineup for Milan.

Other US front-liners include Toronto's Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel of Vegas, New Jersey's Jack Hughes, Tampa Bay's Jake Guentzel, Detroit's Dylan Larkin, Winnipeg's Kyle Connor, Colorado's Brock Nelson, Minnesota's Matt Boldy and Miller's New York Rangers teammate Vincent Trocheck.

"We have a really good group of young, hungry Americans that haven't played in the Olympics before," Hughes said. "Guys are pumped up and we should be really excited."

Buffalo's Tage Thompson, Utah's Clayton Keller and Florida defenseman Seth Jones were not in the US 4 Nations squad, but did make the US Olympic lineup, as did Vancouver defenseman Quinn Hughes, who was hurt during last year's event.

US defensemen heading to Italy also include Noah Hanifan of Vegas, Boston's Charlie McAvoy, Minnesota's Brock Faber, Ottawa's Jake Sanderson, Carolina's Jaccob Slavin and Zach Werenski of Columbus.

All three goaltenders from the 4 Nations Face-Off — Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck, Boston's Jeremy Swayman and Jake Oettinger of Dallas — will return on the US quest for its first Olympic gold medal since the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" at Lake Placid.

Sanderson and Faber competed at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics and are the only US players with previous Games experience, as active NHL talent returns to the Olympics for the first time since 2014.

The US Olympic campaign begins on Feb 12 against Latvia.

AFP