2026 Winter Olympics: Final Team USA Women’s Roster projections

We’re just over a month away from the best players in the world stepping onto the ice in Milan, and one of the superpowers of women’s hockey is ready to push for the top of the podium at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Four years removed from a tough loss to Canada in Beijing, the United States has high hopes for the upcoming tournament. After winning last year’s IIHF Women’s World Championship and a dominating effort in a four-game sweep of its northern rivals in the Rivalry Series, the Americans are the odds-on favorites to win the gold medal in Italy.

With a healthy mix of young and experienced talent, you won’t find many holes in the U.S. lineup. You will see a lot of familiar faces from international competition over the past couple of years, along with some names that have the ability to contribute on the biggest stage in sports.

Let’s take a look at my final projection of those who will wear the red, white and blue in February.

Forwards

Tessa Janecke (2026) – Alex Carpenter (SEA) – Hilary Knight (SEA)
Kendall Coyne Schofield (MIN) – Taylor Heise (MIN) – Abbey Murphy (2026)
Hannah Bilka (SEA) – Kelly Pannek (MIN) – Kirsten Simms (2026)
Joy Dunne (2027) – Britta Curl (MIN) – Grace Zumwinkle (MIN)
Hayley Scamurra (MTL), Lacey Eden (2026)

Also considered: Casey O’Brien (NY), Jesse Compher (TOR)

Remember what I said back in August? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I’m not touching that top line with a 39-a-half-foot pole, because Carpenter, Knight and Janecke were part of the group that left Canada feeling Grinch-like at the end of the Rivalry Series. After dominating for most of the WWC last year, the trio combined for 12 points in the four-game series and was the only line not tinkered with by head coach John Wroblewski.

The “Minnesota Line” of Coyne Schofield, Heise and Murphy just seems to make sense. The line picked on the Canadians in the 10-4 smashing that was Game 3 of the series, and just hollers speed. There’s enough international experience among the bunch, and it doesn’t look like anyone could stop them.

Bilka is coming into her own as a star in the PWHL, and we were unfortunately robbed of her playing at the WWC last year due to injury. If put on a line with the reliable two-way asset in Pannek, and the exhilarating asset that is Kirsten Simms, that will be thrilling to watch.

Curl-Salemme and Dunne were the other pairing of forwards that stuck together throughout the Rivalry Series, and I think they would be best suited to provide depth scoring in the Olympics. I initially had Zumwinkle on the outside looking in, but given how she’s started with the Frost and the looks she had in a limited capacity against Canada, she’s earned her way onto the roster.

Defense

Megan Keller (BOS) – Laila Edwards (2026)
Caroline Harvey (2026) – Cayla Barnes (SEA)
Lee Stecklein (MIN) – Haley Winn (BOS)
Rory Guilday (OTT) – Emma Peschel (2026)

Similar to the forward group, what was working against Canada this year shouldn’t be tinkered with too much in Milan. I was uncertain that Edwards should become a full-time defender…I was wrong. Her size. Her shot. Her ability to be lethal at both ends of the rink makes her the perfect model for the new-age blueliner. Paired with the ever-reliable Keller, the Corsi For will be through the roof.

Harvey and Barnes are just fun to watch. Both can drop what they’re doing and carry the play up the ice, before quickly turning things back around and playing excellent defense. Harvey is the women’s equivalent of Cale Makar, if not more dominant at the collegiate level. Barnes is growing into one of the best two-way defenders in the PWHL.

The young and the old mesh well on the third pair, as Stecklein is ever-so reliable with whomever she plays with, giving someone like Winn the confidence to play her game, which can be tough to stop when she gets going. I didn’t think either Guilday or Peschel had a chance to make the Olympic roster back in the summer. However, the youngsters have shown they can be viable depth options if called upon.

Also considered: Savannah Harmon (TOR), Jincy Roese (NY)

Goaltending

Aerin Frankel (BOS)
Gwyneth Philips (OTT)
Nicole Hensley (MIN)

The U.S. might give up four goals in the group stage in Milan, and that includes the team’s games against Canada, with the duo of Frankel and Philips in the crease. Barring another injury, Frankel will be Team USA’s No. 1, with Philips playing a couple of games during the preliminary round. Philips obviously played the hero at the Women’s Worlds last year, but Frankel has proven time and again she can come clutch at the highest levels.

When it comes to Hensley, I know McNaughton was on the American roster during the Rivalry Series and served as the team’s third-stringer in Czechia last spring. However, with the amount of talent Wisconsin will be losing for the Olympics, and February being the home stretch of the regular season, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Badgers try to sway McNaughton to stay home, rather than have her sit in the stands for three weeks. That opens the door for Hensley, who, after a rough 2024-25 season, has had a strong start to this year with the Frost and already has an Olympic pedigree.

Also considered: Ava McNaughton (2027), Annelies Bergmann (2027)