USA Hockey is gearing up for the return of NHL players to the Olympics in 2026 by assembling one of its most star-laden rosters for the upcoming world championship. The team announced its first 15 players for the tournament in May, with five players who have made at least one NHL All-Star team, including Brady Tkachuk, Johnny Gaudreau, Seth Jones, Dylan Larkin, and Zach Werenski.
Tkachuk, at just 24 years old, will be making his senior world championship debut, while Luke Hughes, a 20-year-old defenseman for the New Jersey Devils, is the youngest player of the group. In the past, U.S. world championship rosters have typically included one or two players with All-Star experience, making five on this team a significant number.
Despite the absence of some top American NHL players who are still competing in the Stanley Cup playoffs, USA Hockey anticipates adding more players to the roster closer to the start of the tournament in Czechia. Head coach John Hynes will lead the team, which has finished fourth at worlds in the last two years and has made the semifinals 12 times since 1992.
The U.S. has a strong history in world championship competition, with its last silver medal coming in 1950 and its lone gold at a standalone worlds in 1933. The return of NHL players to the Olympics in 2026 marks an exciting development for hockey fans, with the worlds serving as a key stepping stone in preparation for international competition at the highest level.