Olympics: 2026 U.S. Olympic Team

[Rabid Ranger]

What are we looking at for 2026? Here's the way I'm leaning:

Goaltenders (x3):

Hellebuyck
Oettenger
 Wolf

Defensemen (x8):

Q. Hughes/Slavin
Fox/McAvoy
Werenski/Faber
L. Hughes/Hutson

Forwards (x14):

M. Tkachuk/Matthews/J. Hughes
Connor/Eichel/Caufield
Keller/Cooley/B. Tkachuk
Guentzel/Larkin/Beniers
Thompson/Robertson

Click to read more...

 

[BKarchitect]

Looks great. You forgot Faber though. He should be one of the top 2 RHD on the team (him and Fox…Faber has definitely been ahead of McAvoy and Sanderson for me). Shouldn’t Slavin and Fox be switched for handedness or are you wanting to escort Quinn with Slavin for size and defensive prowess?

For me…something like:

Quinn-Faber
Werenski-Fox
Slavin-McAvoy
Sanderson/Luke/Lane

Any way you dice it…tremendous talent and options. And then in net, even with Demko struggling with health and form and Swayman being bad this year, you’ve got Wolf coming up…elite.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Start with the 4 nations team and make a few subs here and there based on health and how players are playing.

 

[William H Bonney]

Obviously depends on availability but I'm most interested to see what bubble guys will actually show up to the World Championships to improve their case. Talking about guys like L. Hughes, Sanderson, Hutson, Cooley, Caufield, Keller, Thompson, Tuch, Wolf, etc.

If you're available and not willing to spend a couple of weeks in Denmark/Sweden, do you really want to make this team?

 

[waitin425]

What are we looking at for 2026? Here's the way I'm leaning:

Goaltenders (x3):

Hellebuyck
Oettenger
 Wolf

Defensemen (x8):

Q. Hughes/Slavin
Fox/McAvoy
Werenski/Sanderson
L. Hughes/Hutson

Forwards (x14):

M. Tkachuk/Matthews/J. Hughes
Connor/Eichel/Caufield
Keller/Cooley/B. Tkachuk
Guentzel/Larkin/Beniers
Thompson/Robertson

Fan of Canada hoping you guys make some major mistakes on your roster. Just completely stacked. Ill take a stab on what I'd do....

M Tkachuk - Matthews - B Tkachuk = I think the brothers will create absolute hell in a tournament for Olympic gold. Pair them together and watch shit burn.
Connor - Jack Eichel - Hughes = might be best line in tournament (after Crosby-McDavid-Bedard)
Keller - Miller - Caufield = yet another scoring line
Guentzel - Larkin - Thompson = shutdown team
Cooley

Hughes - McAvoy
Werenski - Fox
Slavin - Faber
Hutson = homer shoutout. Why not bring a little excitement?? (besides he's already better than Hughes!)

Helleybuck
Oettinger
Wolf = watch the vets kid and see how it's done.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

M. Tkachuk-Matthews-Hughes
Connor-Eichel-Robertson
Keller-Miller-Thompson
Trocheck-Larkin-B. Tkachuk
Cooley

Slavin-Fox
Hughes-McAvoy
Werenski-Faber
Sanderson-Hutson

Hellebuyck
Oettinger
Swayman

 

[Dr Jan Itor]

If they're all playing well, I feel like a B. Tkachuk/Thompson/Tuch 4th line would be pretty tough to deal with. Maybe Boldy instead of Tkachuk if he's higher in the lineup.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Hutson = homer shoutout. Why not bring a little excitement?? (besides he's already better than Hughes!)

If we're talking about Luke Hughes, I agree with you.

If Luke Hughes can improve his defense a lot in the next 10 months, I think he probably makes it. But as things currently stand, I think the defense is close enough that Luke doesn't have a major edge there, and Lane probably has an offensive edge.

 

[Nucks2001]

The US has the most deep team on paper. As long as they don’t make selections like Kreider and Nelson come Olympics, it will be hard for them to not win gold barring Canada’s studs taking over games.

 

[Nucks2001]

If we're talking about Luke Hughes, I agree with you.

If Luke Hughes can improve his defense a lot in the next 10 months, I think he probably makes it. But as things currently stand, I think the defense is close enough that Luke doesn't have a major edge there, and Lane probably has an offensive edge.

Sanderson is a more mature defender at this point than Hughes. You certainly don’t need more offence on the blueline when you already have Hughes, Fox, McAvoy, Faber and Hutson now.

I just don’t see how Luke Hughes makes the team unless he takes a big step forward next season.

 

[BKarchitect]

Sanderson is a more mature defender at this point than Hughes. You certainly don’t need more offence on the blueline when you already have Hughes, Fox, McAvoy, Faber and Hutson now.

I just don’t see how Luke Hughes makes the team unless he takes a big step forward next season.

I think Hughes is currently making big steps. That said, plenty of time before 2026, things could definitely change. I don’t have Sanderson in my top six due to current form but if this tourney were tomorrow - as a #7 guy, I think he offers more situational versatility than Luke or Lane. I tend to agree that with the forwards and the likes of Quinn and Werenski gobbling up PP time, there is less of a need for a specifically offensive #7/utility defender.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Sanderson is a more mature defender at this point than Hughes. You certainly don’t need more offence on the blueline when you already have Hughes, Fox, McAvoy, Faber and Hutson now.

I just don’t see how Luke Hughes makes the team unless he takes a big step forward next season.

Okay, but talking about a #8, I think it comes down to Hughes or Hutson at the moment. Presumably this is a player that could be paired with Sanderson, so you can afford a more offensive minded player.