Jack Eichel expressed his enthusiasm for representing the United States in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off tournament during a recent Team USA Zoom call. The forward for the Vegas Golden Knights is keenly aware of the historical context surrounding U.S. teams in international hockey, particularly highlighting that it has been since the 1996 World Cup of Hockey that a U.S. team with NHL players secured a gold medal in major tournaments. “I’ll take it,” exclaimed Eichel when fellow teammate Charlie McAvoy mentioned he hadn’t heard the initial question posed to the group.
Eichel emphasized the importance of this tournament, stating, “I think there’s a lot to prove for us as USA Hockey,” and noted that Canada has long been seen as the dominant force in hockey. However, he believes the U.S. has made significant strides in closing that talent gap, presenting a great chance to demonstrate their progress. Citing the increasing pool of American players emerging from the U.S. national development program in the last decade, Eichel pointed out that most of the 23-member roster for Team USA consists of USNDP alumni, himself included.
“We feel very confident in our group and the names on our roster,” he remarked, although he acknowledged that confidence alone isn’t enough; the team will need to perform on the ice to achieve success. Excitement is building for this fresh competitive structure, which was introduced during last All-Star Weekend, as it organizes NHL players from the U.S., Canada, Finland, and Sweden into four teams, replacing the traditional All-Star Game for this season.
The announcement of the complete rosters by the competing nations came just a day before Eichel’s comments, with the tournament set to take place from February 12-20 in Montreal and Boston. Despite the presence of exceptional talent, Team USA has struggled to achieve success at the senior level in recent years. The last time the U.S. claimed a medal at the World Championships was in 2021 when they took home bronze, and since 1960, they have not placed higher than third at this level. The last Olympic gold for a U.S. team occurred during the 1980 Lake Placid Games, famously known as the “Miracle On Ice,” while their most recent Olympic experiences ended with silver medals in 2002 and 2010, both times losing to Canada. A significant triumph came in 1996 when goalie Mike Richter led the team to a World Cup victory over Canada, earning MVP honors.
McAvoy, who is among the players on the roster, stated, “I think we check every box there is,” expressing his belief in the group’s high level of confidence. The U.S. team’s management, led by Wild GM Bill Guerin and Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, focused on seasoned players when filling the remaining 17 roster spots. The oldest players selected are 33-year-old forwards Chris Kreider of the Rangers and Brock Nelson of the Islanders, both veterans with considerable international experience. In contrast, 22-year-old Brock Faber, a defenseman from Minnesota, is the youngest on the roster and the sole player with Olympic experience, having participated in the Beijing Games in 2022 amidst the NHL’s withdrawal due to pandemic-related scheduling conflicts.
Facing off against a formidable Canadian team that boasts superstars like Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, and Cale Makar, Team USA looks to leverage its strengths. The squad showcases remarkable depth down the center with players including Eichel, Auston Matthews, and Dylan Larkin, and its goaltending is spearheaded by two-time Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck, complemented by Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman.
Recent achievements in junior championships, where the U.S. has clinched two of the past four titles and six overall since 2004, reflect positively on USA Hockey’s efforts. Among the Four Nations teammates, McAvoy, Oettinger, and defenseman Adam Fox were all part of the U.S. team that captured the world junior title in 2017, further emphasizing the potential and experience within this group.
