USA Hockey announced its roster for the 2025 World Championship on Thursday, and it has some players who could be in the running to play at the 2026 Olympics.
The talent joining the roster comes two months after another American player called for more people to join Team USA at the Worlds.
After the 4 Nations Face-Off, when Team USA lost to Team Canada in the final, Dylan Larkin talked to reporters about American players and their commitment to USA Hockey.
“I think we’ve had a tough time with USA Hockey getting guys to play at the World Championship,” he said at the time. “I think guys are at home watching this, and I hope they are wanting a piece of this. They got to go to the World Championship and prove themselves and play for their country.”
Whether those strong words played a role or not, there are some intriguing players on the first 18-player roster, including Buffalo Sabres right winger Tage Thompson and Utah Hockey Club captain Clayton Keller.
Those forwards weren’t selected for Team USA for the 4 Nations Face-Off, although they were some of the top snubs. They’re expected to participate in their World Championship in years – Thompson’s last Worlds appearance was in 2021, and Keller’s was in 2019. Keller hasn’t made the NHL playoffs since 2020, while Thompson’s last playoff experience was with AHL Rochester in 2019.
Since the 4 Nations Face-Off, Thompson scored 18 goals in 28 games, which is tied for the most in the NHL with Alex Ovechkin. As for Keller, he scored 30 points in 26 games after the tournament, one point shy of making the top 10.
Other notable names to be selected are Seattle Kraken center Matty Beniers, Nashville Predators defenseman Brady Skjei and Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman.
Swayman made it to the 4 Nations squad but was listed as the third goalie behind Connor Hellebuyck and Jake Oettinger, who are both in the Stanley Cup playoffs right now. Not only will joining the World Championship team give him a chance to climb the goalie hierarchy for the Olympics, but it’s a chance to play well after the regular season.
The Bruins had a poor campaign, and so did Swayman, compared to his standard and play from last season. He finished this season with a 3.11 goals-against average and a .892 save percentage. His short time with Team USA could help rejuvenate his game.
The same could be said about Skjei and the Predators. Last season, the D-man had a career-high 47 points. But this season, he recorded 33, his lowest production in a full season since 2019-20 with the New York Rangers.
The 2025 World Championship begins on May 9 with Team USA taking on one of the two host nations, Denmark.
Here are the first 18 players named to the roster. Larkin, whose Red Wings missed the playoffs, was not among those named in the initial roster.
Team USA World Championship Initial Roster
No. 1, Jeremy Swayman, G, Boston Bruins
No. 2, Jackson LaCombe, D, Anaheim Ducks
No. 6, Mason Lohrei, D, Boston Bruins
No. 7, Michael Kesselring, D, Utah Hockey Club
No. 9, Clayton Keller, LW, Utah Hockey Club
No. 10, Matty Beniers, C, Seattle Kraken
No. 18, Drew O'Connor, C, Vancouver Canucks
No. 19, Cutter Gauthier, RW, Anaheim Ducks
No. 20, Andrew Peeke, D, Boston Bruins
No. 30, Hampton Slukynsky, G, Western Michigan (NCHC)
No. 35, Joey Daccord, G, Seattle Kraken
No. 47, Michael McCarron, RW, Nashville Predators
No. 72, Tage Thompson, C/RW, Buffalo Sabres
No. 73, Alex Vlasic, D, Chicago Blackhawks
No. 76, Brady Skjei, D, Nashville Predators
No. 83, Conor Garland, RW, Vancouver Canucks
No. 91, Frank Nazar, C/RW, Chicago Blackhawks
No. 92, Logan Cooley, C, Utah Hockey Club
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