More Than 45 Alumni Set for Milano Cortina Olympics

Men's Ice Hockey | 2/5/2026 10:38:05 AM

Forty-six players with United States Hockey League (USHL) ties are set to participate in the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games. Of those players, fifteen have previously played in the Olympic Games, including defensemen Brock Faber (NTDP) and Jake Sanderson (NTDP, who represented the U.S. at Beijing in 2022.

Each USHL team has at least one former player participating. Following the NTDP, the Sioux City Musketeers and Chicago Steel have the most alumni rostered for the Olympics, with Jake Guentzel (Sioux City Musketeers) and Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel) on the American and Canadian rosters, respectively, after a 12-year absence of NHL players in the Olympics.

Each USHL team has at least one former player participating. See the full list below.
 
Player Country Current Team (League) USHL Team(s) Period Years
Macklin Celebrini Canada San Jose Sharks (NHL) CHI 2022-2023 1
Dan Vladar Czechia Philadelphia Flyers (NHL) CHI 2015-2016 1
Markus Lauridsen* Denmark HC Pustertal (ICEHL) GB 2010-2012 2
Patrick Russell* Denmark Kölner Haie (DEL) WAT 2013-2014 1
Eeli Tolvanen* Finland Seattle Kraken (NHL) SC 2015-2017 2
Erik Haula* Finland Nashville Predators (NHL) OMA 2009-2010 1
Stéphane Da Costa France Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg (KHL) SC 2007-2009 2
Frederik Tiffels* Germany Eisbären Berlin (DEL) MUS, FGO, CR 2012-2014 2
Lukas Kälble* Germany Adler Mannheim (DEL) FGO 2016-2017 1
Marc Michaelis* Germany Adler Mannheim (DEL) GB 2014-2016 2
Nico Sturm* Germany Minnesota Wild (NHL) TC 2015-2016 1
Parker Tuomie* Germany Kölner Haie (DEL) SF 2014-2016 2
Wojciech Stachowiak Germany Syracuse Crunch (AHL) CI 2017-2018 1
Dustin Gazley Italy HC Bolzano (ICEHL) SC 2005-2007 2
Luca Frigo Italy HC Bolzano (ICEHL) OMA 2012-2014 2
Nick Sarachino Italy HC Pustertal (ICEHL) CR 2010-2012 2
Eduards Tralmaks Latvia Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) CHI 2016-2017 1
Haralds Egle Latvia HC Energie Karlovy Vary (Czechia) MUS, MAD, CHI 2013-2016 3
Ralfs Freibergs* Latvia HC Vítkovice (Czechia) LIN 2011-2012 1
Zemgus Girgensons* Latvia Tampa Bay Lightning DBQ 2010-2012 2
Adam Gajan Slovakia Minnesota Duluth (NCAA) GB 2022-2024 2
Martin Pospisil* Slovakia Calgary Flames (NHL) SC 2017-2019 2
Patrik Koch* Slovakia HC Ocelári Trinec (Czechia) DM  2014-2015 1
Samuel Hlavaj Slovakia Iowa Wild (AHL) LIN 2018-2019 1
Akira Schmid Switzerland Vegas Golden Knights (NHL) OMA, SC 2018-2021 3
Auston Matthews U.S. Toronto Maple Leafs (NHL) NTDP 2013-2015 2
Brady Tkachuk U.S. Ottawa Senators (NHL) NTDP 2015-2017 2
Brock Faber* U.S. Minnesota Wild (NHL) NTDP 2018-2020 2
Charlie McAvoy U.S. Boston Bruins (NHL) NTDP 2013-2015 2
Clayton Keller U.S. Utah Mammoth (NHL) NTDP 2014-2016 2
Dylan Larkin U.S. Detroit Red Wings (NHL) NTDP 2012-2014 2
J.T. Miller U.S. New York Rangers (NHL) NTDP 2009-2011 2
Jaccob Slavin U.S. Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) CHI 2010-2013 3
Jack Eichel U.S. Vegas Golden Knights (NHL) NTDP 2012-2014 2
Jack Hughes U.S. New Jersey Devils (NHL) NTDP 2017-2019 2
Jake Guentzel U.S. Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL) SC 2012-2013 1
Jake Oettinger U.S. Dallas Stars (NHL) NTDP 2014-2016 2
Jake Sanderson* U.S. Ottawa Senators (NHL) NTDP 2018-2020 2
Jeremy Swayman U.S. Boston Bruins (NHL) SF 2015-2017 2
Kyle Connor U.S. Winnipeg Jets (NHL) YNG 2012-2015 3
Matt Boldy U.S. Minnesota Wild (NHL) NTDP 2017-2019 2
Matthew Tkachuk U.S. Florida Panthers (NHL) NTDP 2013-2015 2
Noah Hanifin U.S. Vegas Golden Knights (NHL) NTDP 2013-2014 1
Quinn Hughes U.S. Minnesota Wild (NHL) NTDP 2015-2017 2
Tage Thompson U.S. Buffalo Sabres (NHL) NTDP 2014-2015 1
Zach Werenski U.S. Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL) NTDP 2013-2014 1

About the USHL

The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 teams are committed to being the world's leading junior hockey league. This season, more than 50% of NCAA Division I men's hockey players and nearly 25% of NHL players have USHL experience. The USHL has developed more than 285 direct NHL Draft picks since 2020, and eight of the last 10 Hobey Baker Award winners, including Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel).

Elevated through the recently announced Declaration of Excellence with the NHL and USA Hockey, the league's player-first approach, including a 2:1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 90% of games played on weekends, provides its players with the optimal environment for athletic and personal growth, creating pathways for the next generation of stars like Auston Matthews (NTDP), Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede), and Johnny Gaudreau (Dubuque Fighting Saints).