June 16th, 2025, 04:04 PM ET
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The US has selected Matthew and Brady Tokachuk, Auston Matthews, Jack Eychelle, Quinn Hughes and Charlie McAvoy as the first six players of the 2026 Olympics, avoiding goaltenders on the first roster.
A selection of numbers from Conor Helebuick, Jake Oetittinger, Jeremy Swayman and Thatcher Demco to create a team when the full roster is submitted in early January.
“Our goalkeeper played well for us. Great season: Connor got Vegina and Hart. “It was like what we talked about before we did it in four countries. Would you like to add a goalkeeper or a goalkeeper?”
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All 12 eligible teams have announced the launch of a group to join Milan, replacing Russia after the International Olympic Committee banned the country for team sports in the war in Ukraine. The tournament shows the return of NHL participation and what will happen to the first Olympics for Canada’s Conor McDavid and many other top players who have yet to get the opportunity.
“I am incredibly honored to represent my country at the world’s biggest sporting event,” said McDavid after he and the Edmonton Oilers practiced in the Stanley Cup final. “You’re thinking about a Canadian player who can be named to that team and then picked again. That means a lot.”
McDavid would have said the NHL had not withdrawn from the 2022 Beijing game due to pandemic-related scheduling issues. Canada chose Sydney Crosby, Nathan McKinnon, Kale McCar, Braden Point and Sam Reinhardt alongside McDavid.
“When you’re growing up when you’re watching as a child, it’s the Stanley Cup final and it’s Team Canada,” Reinhart said. “These are two things you dream of playing. Getting that opportunity is pretty exciting.”
Three other Panthers players, Alexander Barkov of Finland, Nico Sturm of Germany and Ubis Balinskis of Latvia, are painted pencils in Milan. Edmonton’s Leon Draysithle became the headline for Germany’s list that reached the final in 2018 when the NHL skipped the Olympics.
“There aren’t many elite centremen in the league. I think Leon is in that category, Sasha [Barkov is] In that category, Sturm said. He is definitely someone I admire a lot and want to learn. ”
Obviously, there will be a lot of changes over the next eight months, from injuries to performance. This process with the IOC and the International Ice Hockey Federation was a huge success in February following the US, Canada, Sweden and Finland naming six early players in a four-country showdown last summer.
“I understand that from a marketing perspective and start things up and run,” said Canadian GM Doug Armstrong. “There may have been a wide range of berths of players who were named, but what that is. I think it matches the previous four countries and events, so we’re fine.
Sweden chose Gabriel Landeskog, Lucas Raymond, William Nylander, Adrian Kempe and defensemen Victor Hedman and Rasmus Darling. Finland chose Barkov, fellow skaters Mikko Lantanen, Sebastian Ajo, Milo Heskanen, Esa Lindell and goaltender Juice Saros.
This was Barkov’s second Olympics after he was in Sochi in 2014. This was a young part-time player.
“That was my dream as a child and I was able to experience it a little in two games,” Barkov said. “It’s a great honor to be named again now. I’m truly, really, really happy, honored and grateful for the opportunity.”
Much of the response to the roster release on social media was related to the lack of Russia’s participation. That means Alex Ovechkin, the greatest goal scorer of all time, MVP finalist Nikita Kuchelov, and two-time Cup winner goaltender Andrei Vasirebsky won’t get a chance to go to Milan.
“It’s a shame they’re not at this event, but there’s certainly nothing that the event participants can control,” Armstrong said. “You have to play the teams that are on your schedule. Unfortunately, this time you’re not around the Russians.”
