Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews looks on after scoring against the Florida Panthers. Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Team USA Names First Six Players for 2026 Olympic Games

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Jon Alfano | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 1:16 PM ET

Team USA came agonizingly close to winning the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, falling to Canada in overtime of the final match. However, the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, present a chance for redemption.

Like most countries participating in the tournament , Team USA announced its first six players to its preliminary roster on Monday. That group includes forwards Jack Eichel ( Vegas Golden Knights), Auston Matthews (Toronto Maple Leafs), Brady Tkachuk ( Ottawa Senators) and Matthew Tkachuk ( Florida Panthers ), as well as defensemen Quinn Hughes ( Vancouver Canucks) and Charlie McAvoy (Boston Bruins).

We’re just getting started. Introducing the first six members of the 2026 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team #WinterOlympics

Details: https://t.co/4QYVHZbKlz pic.twitter.com/bs7Ib4xRu4
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) June 16, 2025

“We’ve seen the unprecedented success of our U.S. teams on the international stage this past season and we need to keep our foot on the gas,” said Bill Guerin, Team USA's general manager for the 2026 Olympics. “We haven’t won an Olympic gold in men’s hockey since 1980 and we’re out to change that.

“The players we’ve named today represent excellence. They’re committed to the mission in front of us and excited about the opportunity to represent our country in the Olympics.”

This set of six players is almost identical to the first six selected for the 4 Nations Face-Off. The only difference is Brady Tkachuk replacing New York Rangers defensemen Adam Fox, though the younger Tkachuk brother obviously took part in the event as well. All six players are first-time Olympians, as are most players participating in the tournament.

The remainder of the Olympic rosters will be announced later this year.

The men's Olympic hockey tournament will begin on Feb. 11, 2026, with the gold medal game taking place on Feb. 22.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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