Matty Beniers, the No. 2 top seed of the Seattle Kraken in the NHL Draft 2021, is one of 15 current collegiate players who will make up Team USA in men’s hockey at next month’s Olympics in Beijing.
The U.S. Olympic team was revealed Thursday night, three weeks after the NHL and NHL Players’ Association announced that the league would not send players to compete due to pandemic-related problems and scheduling barriers during the regular season.
Beniers and Brendan Brisson, both forwards in Michigan, were named in the squad. A newly graduated Michigan student, Strauss Mann, is expected to become the No. 1 US goalkeeper. Mann plays in the Swedish Hockey League.
North Dakota’s Jake Sanderson will play 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 list who was suitable 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 competed in the 2018 Games either due to scheduling issues with the International Olympic Committee.
The American team will be coached by former New York Rangers and Boston University coach David Quinn.
Team USA List:
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
Defenders (8)
Brian Cooper, Brock Faber, Drew Helleson, Steven Kampfer, Aaron Ness, Nick Perbix, Jake Sanderson, David Warsofsky
Goalkeepers (3)
Drew Commesso, Strauss Mann, Pat Nagle
–Field Level Media
Source: sn.dk