Inside Team USA’s Friendly, Yet Competitive Goalie Battle

This unit has a ton of experience together. The trio of Hellebuyck, Oettinger and Swayman led Team USA to a silver medal at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off and reunited at the recent training session. At the camp, Swayman discussed how confident he is in his Olympics teammates and how much their relationships have fueled the desire to help one another improve.

”I don't know if you can get a better trio,” he said. “It doesn't matter if we see each other yesterday or haven't seen each other for months. It seems like we haven't really skipped a beat."

The friendships these three share makes the battle even better, whether it’s against one another in the NHL season or in practice together for Team USA, that type of camaraderie is driving each one to be their very best.

"It's just a complete camaraderie," he explained. Obviously, playing against those guys, it’s always fun. I'm always asking them what they've been doing, how they've been critiquing their game, getting better. And we've really been able to bump ideas and obviously raise our level and play with each other, and that's something we're really excited about and understand."

Pathway Through the Hockey East

Aside from their national heritage, the three top goalies for Team USA all developed in the NCAA. Specifically, they attended colleges or universities in the Hockey East conference. Hellebuyck attended the University of Massachusetts-Lowell. Oettinger played three seasons at Boston University and Swayman attended the University of Maine. Each became a prominent NHL prospect during their time in college, and it's fitting that now this is the trio representing USA hockey.

Impossible Choice Incoming

Hellebuyck is the likely starter heading into Milan for the 2026 Winter Olympics, but the team is leaving that role open until closer to the tournament. Oettinger and Swayman know that if they have the better starts to the 2025-2026 regular season, they could put themselves in line to be the number one option for Team USA. As Oettinger sees it, it’s another motivating push. At the same time, there’s some surrendering to things outside of his control when it comes to starting in the Olympics.

"I think all three of us are competitive, we all know we can do well in that role and it’s up to us, whoever plays the best,” he said at orientation camp.. “I look like it as, do whatever is my power to get the net and at the end, wherever the chips lay, you accept it."