Clayton Keller, Tage Thompson, and Seth Jones to Make Olympic Debuts for Team USA Hockey in Milan 2026
Clayton Keller, Tage Thompson, and Seth Jones will make their Olympic debuts for Team USA at the upcoming Winter Games in February, according to ESPN.
USA Hockey had to submit its final Olympic roster by Wednesday and will officially announce it on Friday morning during NBC's Today show. This edition of the Winter Olympics marks the first time in 12 years that NHL players will participate.
The tournament is set to begin in Milan on 11 February. Team USA's group stage matches will take place against Latvia on 12 February, Denmark on 14 February, and Germany on 15 February.
The trio joins six previously named U.S. players: Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes, and Charlie McAvoy. Hughes was injured at the time, and this group had competed previously at the 4 Nations Face-Off, losing to Canada in Boston last February.
Mike Sullivan, the head coach of the New York Rangers, will lead Team USA as it strives to win its first Olympic gold medal since the historic 1980 Miracle on Ice.
Clayton Keller, aged 27, captained the U.S. to world championship gold last May. Selected seventh overall by the Arizona Coyotes in 2016, Keller posted 90 points last season and recorded 33 points (12 goals, 21 assists) in 40 games for the Utah Mammoth. His 10th NHL season has been emotionally challenging due to the recent passing of his father, Bryan.
Tage Thompson, 28, was the 26th overall pick by the St. Louis Blues in 2016. He leads the Buffalo Sabres with 34 points (18 goals, 16 assists) in 38 games and scored the overtime winner against Switzerland in last May's world championship gold-medal game.
Seth Jones, 31, son of former NBA player Popeye Jones, is in his 13th NHL season. He has tallied 24 points (6 goals, 18 assists) in 39 games this season. Drafted fourth overall by the Nashville Predators in 2013, Jones has also played for the Columbus Blue Jackets and Chicago Blackhawks. He earned his first Stanley Cup with the Florida Panthers in June.
