Matty Beniers, the No. 2 overall pick by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Draft, is one of 15 current collegiate players who will comprise Team USA in men’s hockey at next month’s Beijing Olympics.
The U.S. Olympic team was revealed Thursday evening, three weeks after the NHL and NHL Players’ Association announced that the league would not send players to compete due to pandemic-related concerns and regular-season scheduling obstacles.
Beniers and Brendan Brisson, both forwards at Michigan, were named to the squad. A recent Michigan grad, Strauss Mann, is expected to be the United States’ No. 1 goalie. Mann plays in the Swedish Hockey League.
North Dakota’s Jake Sanderson will star on the blue line. Sanderson was the fifth overall pick of the 2020 draft by the Ottawa Senators.
The only player on the 25-man roster who suited up for Team USA at the 2018 Winter Olympics is forward Brian O’Neill, who plays in the KHL in Russia. Five Team USA players are currently in the KHL.
NHL players did compete in the 2018 Games either because of a scheduling issues with the International Olympic Committee.
The United States team will be coached by former New York Rangers and Boston University coach David Quinn.
Team USA roster:
Forwards (14)
Nick Abruzzese, Kenny Agostino, Matty Beniers, Brendan Brisson, Noah Cates, Sean Farrell, Sam Hentges, Matthew Knies, Marc McLaughlin, Ben Meyers, Andy Miele, Brian O’Neill, Nick Shore, Nathan Smith
Defensemen (8)
Brian Cooper, Brock Faber, Drew Helleson, Steven Kampfer, Aaron Ness, Nick Perbix, Jake Sanderson, David Warsofsky
Goaltenders (3)
Drew Commesso, Strauss Mann, Pat Nagle
–Field Level Media