US hockey announces initial 6 players for 2026 Milan Olympics
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck recovers from making a save on a shot from the Dallas Stars in the first period of Game 6 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Dallas, Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
FILE - Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews (34) consoles teammate Joseph Woll (60) in the final moments of the third period of Game 7 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Toronto, May 18, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
FILE - Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid skates during a stoppage in play during the second period in Game 2 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers, in Edmonton, on June 6, 2025. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
FILE - Atlantic Division's Brady Tkachuk, of the Ottawa Senators (7) and Matthew Tkachuk, of the Florida Panthers (19) watch the rerun of a goal by Matthew assisted by Brady during the NHL All Star hockey game, Feb. 4, 2023, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier, File)
FILE - Atlantic Division's Brady Tkachuk, of the Ottawa Senators (7) and Matthew Tkachuk, of the Florida Panthers (19) watch the rerun of a goal by Matthew assisted by Brady during the NHL All Star hockey game, Feb. 4, 2023, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier, File)
File- Vegas Golden Knights center Jack Eichel (9) celebrates his goal during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, March 15, 2025, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes, File)
Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck recovers from making a save on a shot from the Dallas Stars in the first period of Game 6 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Dallas, Saturday, May 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Gareth Patterson)
FILE - Toronto Maple Leafs centre Auston Matthews (34) consoles teammate Joseph Woll (60) in the final moments of the third period of Game 7 of a second-round NHL hockey playoff series in Toronto, May 18, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
FILE - Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid skates during a stoppage in play during the second period in Game 2 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final against the Florida Panthers, in Edmonton, on June 6, 2025. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
FILE - Atlantic Division's Brady Tkachuk, of the Ottawa Senators (7) and Matthew Tkachuk, of the Florida Panthers (19) watch the rerun of a goal by Matthew assisted by Brady during the NHL All Star hockey game, Feb. 4, 2023, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier, File)
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — The U.S. named Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Quinn Hughes and Charlie McAvoy as its first six players for the 2026 Olympics, avoiding goaltenders on the initial roster unveiled Monday.
Some assortment of Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, Jeremy Swayman and Thatcher Demko figure to make the team when full rosters are submitted in early January.
Advertisement
'Our goalies played well for us, great seasons: Connor just got the Vezina and Hart, which is incredible,' U.S. general manager Bill Guerin said on a video call with reporters. 'It was just kind of the thing we talked that about before we did it for 4 Nations: do we add a goalie, do we not add a goalie? I felt it was best we stay consistent and just let the goalies play it out during the season.'
All 12 teams that qualified — with France replacing Russia because of the International Olympic Committee's ban on that country for team sports because of the war in Ukraine — announced the start of their groups set to take part in Milan. This tournament marks the return of NHL participation and what should be the first Olympics for Canada's Connor McDavid and many other top players who have not yet gotten that opportunity.
'Incredibly honored to represent my country at the biggest sporting event in the world,' McDavid said after he and the Edmonton Oilers practiced during the Stanley Cup Final. 'You think of the Canadian players that can be named to that team and to be selected again, it means a lot.'
McDavid would have been there had the NHL not pulled out of the 2022 Beijing Games because of pandemic-related scheduling issues. Along with McDavid, Canada picked Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, Brayden Point and Sam Reinhart, the latter of whom is also in the final with the defending champion Florida Panthers.
Advertisement
'When you're growing up when you're watching as a kid, it's Stanley Cup finals and it's Team Canada,' Reinhart said. "Those are the two things that you dream about playing for. To have that opportunity is pretty exciting.'
Three other Panthers players — Aleksander Barkov for Finland, Nico Sturm for Germany and Uvis Balinskis for Latvia — are penciled in for Milan. Edmonton's Leon Draisaitl headlines the list for Germany, which reached the final in 2018 when the NHL skipped the Olympics.
'There's not a lot of elite centermen in the league: I think Leon is in that category, Sasha (Barkov is) in that category,' Sturm said. 'Big left-handed centermen that you can model your game after. He's definitely somebody that I look up to a lot and try to learn from.'
Obviously much can change over the next eight months, from injuries to performance, and this process with the IOC and International Ice Hockey Federation follows what the U.S., Canada, Sweden and Finland did in naming six initial players last summer for the 4 Nations Face-Off that was a massive success in February.
Advertisement
'I understand it from a marketing perspective to get things up and running,' Canada GM Doug Armstrong said. 'We probably had a wide berth of players we could have named, but it is what it is. I think it's consistent with the 4 Nations and the event before, so we're OK doing. As I said to someone: 'I think the easy part's behind us, these six. Now it gets interesting as we fill out that roster.''
Sweden chose forwards Gabriel Landeskog, Lucas Raymond, William Nylander and Adrian Kempe and defensemen Victor Hedman and Rasmus Dahlin. Finland picked Barkov, fellow skaters Mikko Rantanen, Sebastian Aho, Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell and goaltender Juuse Saros.
This is Barkov's second Olympics after being in Sochi in 2014. That was as a young, part-time player.
'That was my dream as a kid to be there, and I got to experience that for a little bit for two games,' Barkov said. "Now, to be named again is a huge honor. I'm really, really happy and honored and thankful for that opportunity.'
Advertisement
Much of the reaction to the roster release on social media had to do with Russia not taking part. That means all-time leading goal-scorer Alex Ovechkin, MVP finalist Nikita Kucherov and two time Cup-winning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy will not get the chance to go to Milan.
'It's disappointing that they're not in this event, but it's certainly nothing that the participants in the event can control,' Armstrong said. 'You have to play the teams that are on your schedule, and unfortunately this time around the Russians won't be there.'
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Ravens' injury updates coming out of preseason opener
The Baltimore Ravens returned to the practice field on Tuesday ahead of Saturday's preseason matchup in Dallas against the Cowboys. Baltimore is looking ahead to joint practice next week with Washington, before starting preparation for the Sunday night season opener in Buffalo against the Bills. John Harbaugh's team is loaded with talent, but dealing with injuries, and we're examining who's in and who's out of practice entering Week 2. Kyle Hamilton The Ravens' star returned to the practice field on Tuesday after missing about a week of practice. Not practicing on Tuesday Jaire Alexander Alexander missed time with a lower-body injury in Week 1 and appears to be taking rest days. TE Isaiah Likely Likely, had foot surgery two weeks ago and aims to get back for the season opener. RB Keaton Mitchell Mitchell, like Alexander, has been getting rest days and could be held out until the regular season with a groin injury. Emery Jones (NFI) Jones has yet to practice while recovering from an undisclosed injury. The Ravens selected Jones at No. 91 overall after the offensive tackle spent three seasons at LSU. He was a two-time second-team All-SEC selection. S Ar'Darius Washington (PUP) Washington is rehabbing a torn Achilles and is looking towards a late December debut. This article originally appeared on Ravens Wire: Ravens' injury updates ahead of preseason Week 2
Yahoo
26 minutes ago
- Yahoo
NFL holdouts, contract negotiation tracker: James Cook returns to practice, but Bills stop short of saying all is well
NFL training camp season is officially upon us, which means holdout/hold-in season is too as players seek new contracts. Bills running back James Cook finally returned to practice on Tuesday, nine days after he stopped practicing citing "business," presumably in regard to the new contract he wants. Cook indicated on social media back in February he wants to be paid $15 million a year, which would tie him for third-highest paid back in the NFL. He skipped voluntary offseason activities but did show up for mandatory minicamp in June, then reported to training camp on time and practiced the first eight days before beginning his hold-in. Head coach Sean McDermott said he expected Cook to practice on Tuesday, and that's exactly what happened. 'I would say that things have changed,' McDermott said. 'We have had conversations with James, good conversations, as I've mentioned before.' But does that mean the hold-in is officially over? 'Too early to go there,' McDermott said. Cook has been present for team meetings and walkthroughs during his hold-in. So this contract standoff appears to be progressing toward a conclusion, at least for now. What about the others? Are they progressing or stuck in neutral? Let's take a look. Buffalo Bills RB James Cook: Progressing Tuesday was a step forward for Cook and the Bills, on however big or small a level. Josh Allen and other Bills players publicly have Cook's back. It may go without saying, considering Cook's past two Pro Bowl seasons, but Buffalo sounds willing to make a deal too. "We tried to get something done with Jimbo, and unfortunately, you know, it's got— it takes two," GM Brandon Beane said on Aug. 4. 'And both sides have to agree on what that number is, and obviously, that hasn't gotten there. But, I'm not sitting here saying 'You don't pay running backs.' I think you just have to find what the sweet spot is.' Cincinnati Bengals pass rusher Trey Hendrickson: Progressing Did you watch the same preseason opener we did? Where the Eagles' backups on offense tore through the Bengals' starters on defense? Yeah. Couple that with Hendrickson remaining engaged while holding in, and we're calling this one progressing toward a deal. The Bengals' need is clear as day. San Francisco 49ers WR Jauan Jennings: Progressing We'll tag this one as "progressing" too, considering head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated Monday that Brandon Aiyuk likely won't play until a month into the season, at least. There was also yet another injury to the 49ers' wide receiver room this week. Jennings reportedly did a light workout on Monday, but hasn't practiced since reportedly aggravating a calf injury on July 27 and is seeking a new contract. With the 49ers running thin at the position, it might motivate a deal to be done sooner than later. Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons: Stuck in neutral "I think it's unbelievable that there have been zero contract talks between Micah Parsons and the Dallas Cowboys," ESPN's Adam Schefter said Monday. "There has been no progress and you have to wonder where this is going." That sounds dire. This should be an open-and-shut negotiation. Parsons is 26, younger than all the other market-resetting pass rushers who've recently agreed to new deals. He can make a solid argument he's better than all of them. And the Cowboys' defense desperately needs him. The only reason this isn't regressing is because Jerry Jones sent this whole negotiation into a tailspin on the opening day of camp with his meandering season-opening media conference, and it's only stayed silly and unnecessary from there. Dallas has a history of getting deals done late. We're leaning on that here, but boy is it getting shaky. Washington Commanders WR Terry McLaurin: Stuck in neutral From Yahoo Sports Senior NFL Reporter Charles Robinson, who swung through Commanders camp this past weekend: How far apart are the two sides? Everyone is keeping the numbers tight, but the details seep out in the contract comparables. On one side, it's the four-year, $132 million extension the Pittsburgh Steelers slotted to DK Metcalf this offseason, which included $60 million guaranteed. The other side is a little more tricky, but consider it a slightly richer version of the the four-year $92 million extension reached between Courtland Sutton and the Denver Broncos, which had $41 million in guarantees. It's not perfect apples to apples, but it gives you an idea of the divide between McLaurin and the Commanders. The key difference in the Metcalf and Sutton deals, aside from the significant divide in guaranteed money and annual average salary ($33 million AAV vs. $23 million AAV), is the fact that Metcalf signed his at 27 years old and with a Steelers team that was extremely (maybe desperately) motivated to keep him for a long period. Conversely, the Broncos did a risk-averse deal with a soon-to-be 30-year-old Sutton, who is at the horizon of his prime years. So the team and the player are still pretty far apart here. There's no outside indication teams are calling to make big offers for McLaurin, so the Commanders have some negotiating power here. Though entering a year with such big expectations — especially for Jayden Daniels, and McLaurin was a big part of his incredible rookie season — it's not an ideal situation at all.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Kansas City Chiefs TE Travis Kelce ranks 37th on the 2025 NFL Top 100 list
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce has been one of the league's most dominant players, and his selection on the "NFL Top 100" program was a reminder that he's still elite heading into his 13th season. Kelce, returning for the 2025 season, still ranks in the top ten in the league in his position and among the best overall. His ranking of 37th acknowledges that he's not producing the exact numbers as in past seasons, but is still valued and essential to the Chiefs' offense, with teams constantly planning against him. Kelce finished with seven catches for 117 yards in Kansas City's divisional-round playoff victory over the Houston Texans last season, marking his ninth 100-yard game in his postseason career. He broke a record set by legendary San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Jerry Rice, who had eight in his career. The ten-time Pro Bowler posted 823 yards with three touchdowns on 97 receptions last season. Kelce enters the 2025 season behind Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten for third all-time in tight end yards. He is only 896 yards behind Witten for second place. This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chiefs TE Travis Kelce ranks 37th on the 2025 NFL Top 100 list
