Brian O’Neill, who plays for the KHL’s Jokerit Helsinki, is the lone returnee from PyeongChang 2018 on the U.S. Olympic men’s ice hockey team.
photo: Andrea Cardin / HHOF-IIHF Images
USA Hockey announced the final roster for its 2022 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team on Thursday night, a group that includes 15 current NCAA players, eight European pros and two players from the AHL. The squad will represent the United States at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games Feb. 3-20 in Beijing, China.
“We’re excited about the roster we’ve put together,” said John Vanbiesbrouck, general manager of the 2022 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team and also the assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. “The Olympics are the biggest stage in sports and it was fun to hear the enthusiasm our players have to represent their country. We’re fortunate to have a deep talent pool -- thanks in part to all the great work of our volunteers in communities across the nation -- and with the mix of players who are part of our team, we’re looking forward to competing for a gold medal in Beijing.”
Brian O’Neill (Yardley, Pa./Jokerit/Yale University), who is one of five players from the KHL on the U.S. roster, is the lone returning Olympian after playing for Team USA in the 2018 Games. He is currently third in the KHL with 33 assists and 11th in points with 42. Kenny Agostino (Morristown, N.J./Torpedo/Yale University) is also part of the Team USA roster. He is seventh in the KHL with 20 goals, and his 40 points are 14th in the league.
Nathan Smith (Hudson, Fla./Minnesota State University) is the leading point-getter in the NCAA and is one of nine collegiate players on the roster averaging a point or better per game, including Nick Abruzzese (Slate Hill, N.Y./Harvard University), Matty Beniers (Hingham, Mass./University of Michigan), Brendan Brisson (Manhattan Beach, Calif./University of Michigan), Sean Farrell (Hopkinton, Mass./Harvard University), Matthew Knies (Phoenix, Ariz/University of Minnesota), Marc McLaughlin (North Billerica, Mass./Boston College), Ben Meyers (Delano, Minn./University of Minnesota) and Jake Sanderson (Whitefish, Mont./University of North Dakota).
A total of seven players will bring NHL experience to the Team USA lineup, led by Nick Shore (Denver, Colo./Sibir/University of Denver), who has played 299 regular-season NHL games (18-41—59) and Steven Kampfer (Jackson, Mich./Ak Bars Kazan/University of Michigan) with 231 regular-season NHL contests played (15-24—39). Agostino (86GP, 8-22-30), Aaron Ness (Roseau, Minn./Providence/University of Minnesota/72GP, 1-6—7), David Warsofsky (Marshfield, Mass./ERC Ingolstadt/Boston University/55GP, 2-9—11), O’Neill (22GP, 0-2—2) and Andy Miele (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich./Torpedo/Miami University/15GP, 0-2—2) have also played in the NHL.
Strauss Mann (Greenwich, Conn./Skelleftea AIK/University of Michigan), who leads the Swedish Hockey League in goals against average (1.77) and save percentage (93.0) highlights Team USA’s trio of netminders that also includes Pat Nagle (Bloomfield Township, Mich./Ferris State University), who is currently playing for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms (2.74, .897) and Boston University’s Drew Commesso (Norwell, Mass./2.67, .907), who was part of the 2022 U.S. National Junior Team.
The 2022 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team by the numbers:
“We’re excited about the roster we’ve put together,” said John Vanbiesbrouck, general manager of the 2022 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team and also the assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. “The Olympics are the biggest stage in sports and it was fun to hear the enthusiasm our players have to represent their country. We’re fortunate to have a deep talent pool -- thanks in part to all the great work of our volunteers in communities across the nation -- and with the mix of players who are part of our team, we’re looking forward to competing for a gold medal in Beijing.”
Brian O’Neill (Yardley, Pa./Jokerit/Yale University), who is one of five players from the KHL on the U.S. roster, is the lone returning Olympian after playing for Team USA in the 2018 Games. He is currently third in the KHL with 33 assists and 11th in points with 42. Kenny Agostino (Morristown, N.J./Torpedo/Yale University) is also part of the Team USA roster. He is seventh in the KHL with 20 goals, and his 40 points are 14th in the league.
Nathan Smith (Hudson, Fla./Minnesota State University) is the leading point-getter in the NCAA and is one of nine collegiate players on the roster averaging a point or better per game, including Nick Abruzzese (Slate Hill, N.Y./Harvard University), Matty Beniers (Hingham, Mass./University of Michigan), Brendan Brisson (Manhattan Beach, Calif./University of Michigan), Sean Farrell (Hopkinton, Mass./Harvard University), Matthew Knies (Phoenix, Ariz/University of Minnesota), Marc McLaughlin (North Billerica, Mass./Boston College), Ben Meyers (Delano, Minn./University of Minnesota) and Jake Sanderson (Whitefish, Mont./University of North Dakota).
A total of seven players will bring NHL experience to the Team USA lineup, led by Nick Shore (Denver, Colo./Sibir/University of Denver), who has played 299 regular-season NHL games (18-41—59) and Steven Kampfer (Jackson, Mich./Ak Bars Kazan/University of Michigan) with 231 regular-season NHL contests played (15-24—39). Agostino (86GP, 8-22-30), Aaron Ness (Roseau, Minn./Providence/University of Minnesota/72GP, 1-6—7), David Warsofsky (Marshfield, Mass./ERC Ingolstadt/Boston University/55GP, 2-9—11), O’Neill (22GP, 0-2—2) and Andy Miele (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich./Torpedo/Miami University/15GP, 0-2—2) have also played in the NHL.
Strauss Mann (Greenwich, Conn./Skelleftea AIK/University of Michigan), who leads the Swedish Hockey League in goals against average (1.77) and save percentage (93.0) highlights Team USA’s trio of netminders that also includes Pat Nagle (Bloomfield Township, Mich./Ferris State University), who is currently playing for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms (2.74, .897) and Boston University’s Drew Commesso (Norwell, Mass./2.67, .907), who was part of the 2022 U.S. National Junior Team.
The 2022 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team by the numbers:
- 25 players
- 14 forwards (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)
- 8 defensemen (Brian Cooper, Brock Faber, Drew Helleson, Steven Kampfer, Aaron Ness, Nick Perbix, Jake Sanderson, David Warsofsky)
- 3 goaltenders (Drew Commesso, Strauss Mann, Pat Nagle)
- 15 Playing NCAA Hockey (Big 10-5/NCHC-4/HEA-3, ECAC Hockey-2, CCHA-1),
- 8 Playing Professionally in Europe (5-KHL, 2-SHL, 1-DEL)
- 2 Playing Professionally in AHL
- 1 Olympian (O’Neill)
- 6 with NHL experience (Agostino, Kampfer, Miele, Ness, Shore, Warsofsky)
- 13 states represented (Alaska-1, Arizona-1, California-1, Colorado-1, Connecticut-1, Florida-1, Massachusetts-5, Michigan-4, Minnesota-6, Montana-1, New Jersey-1, New York-1, Pennsylvania-1)
- 14 NCAA schools represented (Boston College-2, Boston University-2, Ferris State University-1, Harvard University-2, Miami University-1, Minnesota State University-1, St. Cloud State University-2, University of Denver-1, University of Michigan-4, University of Minnesota-4, University of Minnesota Duluth-1, University of North Dakota-1, University of Nebraska-Omaha-1, Yale University-2)
- 6-0 – average height
- 189 lbs – average weight
- 25.1 years – average age (youngest roster since 1994/22.4)
- 19 years – youngest player, Matty Beniers (11/5/2002)
- 34 years – oldest player, Pat Nagle (9/21/1987)