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Olympics: 2026 U.S. Olympic Team

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Rabid Ranger

Rabid Ranger

2 is better than one
Feb 27, 2002
31,830
12,153
Murica
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/Boldy
Keller/Cooley/B. Tkachuk
Guentzel/Larkin/Beniers
Thompson/Robertson
Click to read more...
 
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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.
 
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Start with the 4 nations team and make a few subs here and there based on health and how players are playing.
 
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?
 
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Rabid Ranger said:
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
Click to expand...
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!) :sarcasm:

Helleybuck
Oettinger
Wolf = watch the vets kid and see how it's done.
 
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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.
 
waitin425 said:
Hutson = homer shoutout. Why not bring a little excitement?? (besides he's already better than Hughes!)
Click to expand...
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.
 
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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.
 
Pavel Buchnevich said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
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Nucks2001 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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.
 
Nucks2001 said:
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.
Click to expand...
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.
 
Tage/Robertson will probably make the roster over Trocheck and Kreider. Quinn is obviously back barring injuries. I don't see too much else being changed, I've loved how Dylan Larkin has looked the first 2 games.
 
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Pavel Buchnevich said:
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.
Click to expand...

Nucks2001 said:
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.
Click to expand...

Luke peaks and valleys too much currently for a spot there. When he's on, he's elite and when he isn't, he gets absolutely mangled and cratered.

I think the one thing we're probably forgetting too is the rink size will be the same as the NHL so maybe some guys who would get looked at for their skating being porous in a Europe bigger rink setting normally will get better looks like a Robertson.
 
I don't think you need to bring Fox or Werenski if Quinn Hughes is healthy.

Jake Sanderson, Alex Vlasic, even a guy like Mikey Anderson are steadier options on the third pair.
 
kris said:
Werenski might be the favorite for the Norris pretty sure he's on the team
Click to expand...
What a ridiculous take, Mikey Anderson over Werenski. Jesus Christ what is wrong with that guy? Absolutely Werenski on the team. Only guy not making it is Hanifin
and he was solid last night.

SanDogBrewin said:
Defense and goaltending will remain the same as 4 Nations. Probably see some adds for the forwards in 2026. Depth will be great again.
Click to expand...
I don't see Hanifin being there in Italy. I think two of Sanderson, Hughes, Vlasic move past him.
 
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