USA Hockey announced on Tuesday that Anaheim Ducks forward Chris Kreider (34) and defenseman Jackson LaCombe (24) are among 44 players (24 forwards, 16 defensemen, and four goaltenders) invited to attend their Olympic Orientation Camp.
The camp will take place Aug. 26-27 in Plymouth, MI, and is described as “largely an administrative and team-building event and includes no formal on-ice activity or public component.”
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On July 16, all participating nations announced their first six players selected to represent their countries. Anaheim Ducks roster players Radko Gudas and Lukas Dostal were among the first six players selected to represent Czechia, and goaltending prospect Damian Clara was one of the first six players selected to represent the host nation, Italy.
The first six players selected to represent the United States include Jack Eichel, Auston Matthews, Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes, and Charlie McAvoy.
Chris Kreider
Chris Kreider was among 13 forwards to make USA’s 23-man roster for February’s “4-Nations Face-Off.”
After the three best seasons of his career between 2022 and 2024, Kreider had a difficult 2024-25 campaign, marred by an array of injuries. He dealt with back spasms and vertigo early in the season and broke his hand in his first game of the “4 Nations Face-Off,” but still managed to suit up for 68 games for the New York Rangers, scoring 30 points (22-8=30).
He was a healthy scratch for the United States’ first two games of the “4 Nations,” but scored the opening and only goal in the team’s 2-1 loss to Sweden, the game where he sustained his hand injury. He managed to dress in the Championship game against Canada, but only logged 6:25 TOI.
Along with the “4-Nations,” Kreider has represented the United States at the 2010 and 2011 World Junior Championships and the 2010, 2011, 2018, and 2019 IIHF World Championships.
He will have a difficult time fending off surprise “4-Nations” omissions like Tage Thompson, Jason Robertson, and Cole Caufield, among a plethora of hungry forwards looking to represent the United States in Italy.
Kreider was traded to the Anaheim Ducks along with a 2024 fourth-round pick in exchange for Carey Terrance and a 2025 third-round pick. He has two years remaining on his contract that carries an AAV of $6.5 million.
Jackson LaCombe
LaCombe was the Ducks' breakout player on the blueline in 2024-25, and became the team’s No.1 defenseman overnight.
Following a difficult rookie campaign in 2023-24, he became harder to play against in small areas of the ice, further developed his transition defense, and elevated his offense to an impressive level, becoming more aggressive and dynamic with and without the puck on his stick.
He scored 43 points (14-29=43) in 75 games, and his 14 goals were the most by a Ducks’ defenseman since Lubomir Vishnovsky hit 18 in 2010-11.
LaCombe led the 2024-25 Ducks in TOI/G (22:18) and power play TOI (160:12) while finishing second in 5v5 TOI (1240:07) and TOI on the penalty kill (168:55).
He last represented the United States at the 2025 World Championship, playing a key role in helping them earn their first gold medal at the event in 92 years, and scored five points (2-3=5) in ten games.
Before the 2025 World Championships, the only other time LaCombe wore the “red, white, and blue” was in the 2021 World Junior Championship, also earning a gold medal.
The seven defensemen who represented the US at the “4-Nations” included the likes of Brock Faber, Adam Fox, Noah Hanifin, Charlie McAvoy, Jake Sanderson, Jaccob Slavin, and Zach Werenski, while Quinn Hughes missed the tournament due to injury.
That will be a difficult group to crack for LaCombe, who will need to continue his progression and elevate it even further in the first half of the 2025-26 season if he’s to squeeze out one of those talented defensemen.
LaCombe has one year remaining on his two-year contract that carries an impressively minimal $925k cap hit.
None of the Ducks' Canadian players made Canada’s 42-man orientation camp roster, announced on August 1.
Final 25-man Olympic rosters are expected to be announced in early January 2026.
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