ST. PAUL, Minn. — Judging by how several American NHLers have started the season, Bill Guerin and his staff will have difficult decisions to make later this year when choosing the roster for the Winter Olympics in Milan.
Cole Caufield is tied for the league lead with nine goals. Logan Cooley and Shane Pinto have eight apiece. Clayton Keller, who captained the United States to its first World Championship gold medal in May, has 12 points, and Tage Thompson, who scored the “Golden Goal” in overtime, has nine. Matthew Knies has 14 points. Frank Nazar, a huge part of a surprising Chicago Blackhawks team out of the gate, has followed a tremendous World Championship with 11 points in his first 11 games.
Alex Tuch also has double-digit points, and Jason Robertson had a strong game at a recent contest scouted by U.S. director of player personnel Chris Kelleher.
Not one of those players made the 4 Nations Face-Off roster last February. And that’s just the forwards.
But this is what Guerin hoped when he invited 44 players to the national team’s orientation camp in August in Plymouth, Michigan, and when he added 13 more names to the team’s expanded list this month.
“It’s a good thing,” said Guerin, the general manager for the U.S. men’s team as well as the Minnesota Wild. “Exactly what we wanted. I like seeing guys do this. It is great for USA Hockey, and it’s great for our process. We want hard decisions. We’re still just trying to build the best team possible. So where everybody fits in that is important, too.
“We need goal scoring. We need power-play guys. We also need penalty killers. We need guys that can check. If we learned anything from the 4 Nations, it was like, I don’t want to say mistake-free hockey, but the checking, there was no room. That’s why you saw the shots weren’t very high. The scoring wasn’t very high. It’s because everybody could check. Everybody was responsible like that.
“So it’s not just goal scoring and offense. We will have plenty of that. You’ve got to be able to do the other stuff, too.”
Canada, too, will have tough decisions to make. Macklin Celebrini, Nick Suzuki, Mark Scheifele, Tom Wilson and Logan Thompson are all making strong cases.
The good news is that teams can bring 25 players — likely breaking down into 14 forwards, eight defensemen and three goalies. That’s one more forward and one more defenseman than could be brought to 4 Nations.
For the U.S., the likely shoo-ins up front are captain Auston Matthews, Matthew and Brady Tkachuk, Jack Eichel, Jack Hughes, J.T. Miller, Jake Guentzel, Dylan Larkin, Matt Boldy and Kyle Connor.
The Tkachuk brothers are both out with injuries, but Guerin expects they will be back in the Florida Panthers’ (Matthew) and Ottawa Senators’ (Brady) lineup in advance of the Olympics. Connor didn’t have a great 4 Nations and was scratched in the title game, but it’s unlikely the Americans keep the elite goal scorer from the Olympics.
That leaves four open spots, with 4 Nations participants Chris Kreider, Brock Nelson and Vincent Trocheck likely on the bubble.
“I’m just trying to focus on the now and helping my team win,” Keller told The Athletic recently. “If I play well and help my team win, hopefully that’ll help me make the Olympic roster. But it’s not something I’m stressed over or anything like that. I’m focused on right now and each and every day. This year you’re playing every other day, which is nice. And if I play well and prove worthy enough to make the Olympics, it’ll be an honor and a lot of fun.”
On the blue line, Quinn Hughes, Zach Werenski, Charlie McAvoy, Jaccob Slavin, Jake Sanderson and Brock Faber are likely locks.
That leaves two open spots, with 4 Nations participants Adam Fox, who seemed to be affected by the pace of international best-on-best, and Noah Hanifin on the bubble.
Faber hasn’t gotten off to a good start to the season for the Wild, but he has looked more like himself recently, and Guerin and coach Mike Sullivan have indicated they are eyeing a possible Slavin-Faber shutdown pair for the Olympics.
Kelleher was actually in Tampa, Fla., last weekend, hoping to see Kreider and Hanifin back-to-back, but the Anaheim Ducks and Vegas Golden Knights players were out of their respective lineups because of injury.
In goal, Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman are still the frontrunners to be in Milan.
Here’s a closer look at the Olympic hopefuls who didn’t make the 4 Nations:
ForwardsTage Thompson, Buffalo Sabres
One of the biggest 4 Nations snubs, literally and figuratively, it’s hard to see him not being an Olympian. One reason why he was left off the 4 Nations was that he hadn’t learned to win, playing for the Sabres, a perennial playoff outsider. But he had a solid World Championship, scored the winning goal to deliver the U.S. gold for the first time in 92 years and showed in the 1-0 final that he can check in tight games. The 6-foot-6 forward can play center and wing and kill penalties.
Clayton Keller, Utah Mammoth
Guerin values players who don’t decline World Championship invitations, and Keller, too, was a huge part of the gold medal-winning team as captain. If Kreider doesn’t make the team, Keller would be a perfect replacement. He’d bring speed, offensive punch and one of the best shots from the right faceoff circle if he somehow squeezes onto one of the power-play units.
“I understand every country will have tough decisions to make, and it’s easy to debate,” Utah coach André Tourigny said. “But no doubt he should be on the radar.”
Clayton Keller wore the “C” for the U.S. at the Hockey World Championship — and helped bring home a historic gold. (Michael Campanella / Getty Images)
Logan Cooley, Utah Mammoth
Guerin knows Cooley well from the Mammoth star’s time playing for University of Minnesota, and he got to see him light the Wild up with a couple of goals on Saturday.
Fresh off signing an eight-year, $80 million contract, Cooley looks like a star in the making. The question is whether his time is now or in the 2028 World Cup and 2030 Olympics. For instance, Jack Hughes has been one of the NHL’s best players this season, arguably right there with Eichel. But he didn’t have a good 4 Nations playing wing, so if the coaches decide to play him at center, where he could be better suited, that would affect Cooley’s chances of making the team.
But Cooley impressed during the World Championship.
Cole Caufield, Montreal Canadiens
Off to a terrific start for the exciting Canadiens, Caufield is a lethal goal scorer coming down the wing. It could be difficult for him to crack the roster because the Americans have so many top-nine wingers and power-play guys, but he’s sure making it a hard decision for the U.S. brass.
“We need guys that can check and play penalty-kill roles and are able to play in those tight games, hopefully, as we advance,” Guerin said, repeating the sentiment a few times when he spoke to The Athletic. That might not be a great sign for Caufield.
Matthew Knies, Toronto Maple Leafs
Like Cooley, Knies played 10 miles from the Wild’s home arena at University of Minnesota, and Guerin saw him play often but said he had no clue how much he was built like a tank until he saw him at the orientation camp.
Knies bring a power forward dimension that could be intriguing to the Americans. If he continues to play like he has to start the season, he could put himself in a really good position to make the team.
Frank Nazar, Chicago Blackhawks
The question, like with some of the other young forwards, is whether it’s too early for Nazar to crack the lineup.
He’s gotten off to an awesome start for Chicago and led the Americans in the World Championship with six goals and 12 points. He’s a blazer on the ice and could be a thorn in many teams’ sides for years.
Shane Pinto, Ottawa Senators
Another player who averaged more than a point per game at the World Championship, Pinto’s gotten off to a stellar start for the Sens and will surely be scouted frequently before the United States has to submit rosters Dec. 31.
Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars
It seems like it’ll be hard for Robertson to crack the roster. Pace of play is a bit of a concern.
But he’s another player who has looked good in the early going, with nine points in 11 games. The Americans are watching him closely.
Patrick Kane, Detroit Red Wings
Kane was invited to U.S. orientation camp and would love to make one last Olympic team before the end of his Hall of Fame career. He doesn’t want to be a charity addition, though. He wants to earn it. And the soon-to-be 37-year-old was doing what he could, with five points in his first five games this season. But he’s been out of Detroit’s lineup since with an injury. He’ll have to play catch-up once he returns.
Honorable mentions
Alex Tuch, Conor Garland
DefensemenSeth Jones, Florida Panthers
Jones is the defenseman whose stock has risen most dramatically since the 4 Nations. Getting out of Chicago was key. Since being traded to the Panthers at the deadline, he has looked tremendous, and he was a huge part of Florida’s second straight Stanley Cup championship. He’d bring size, mobility and a player who can play in all situations.
Lane Hutson, Montreal Canadiens
Hutson’s dad, Rob, publicly criticized Guerin for not inviting his son to the orientation camp. The Calder Trophy winner was put on the expanded roster and would no doubt bring some mobility, flash and offensive skill to the Olympic team.
The issue is a lack of power-play role if Quinn Hughes is going to quarterback the first unit and Werenski the second. Now, if Fox doesn’t make the team, that could swing the door open for another power-play guy.
“You never know what happens in the future. My boys are also Canadian.”
Lane Hutson’s father, Rob, on his son being snubbed from Team USA’s Olympic summer camp.
Could you imagine…? 😳🇨🇦
(via: YT/Recrutes Habscast, @grantmccagg) pic.twitter.com/YHSU1ConcL
— BarDown (@BarDown) September 5, 2025
Jackson LaCombe, Anaheim Ducks
LaCombe’s stock is rising fast after he impressed at the World Championship and signed a $9 million per year extension with the Ducks. He’s another player Guerin watched at University of Minnesota, too.
Luke Hughes, New Jersey Devils
The Americans love what Hughes could add. They wouldn’t mind bringing a young defenseman who will be a big part of their future, and there’d be the natural storyline of the three Hughes brothers being on the same Olympic roster.
Honorable mentions
Alex Vlasic, Ryan McDonagh, Brett Pesce
GoaliesThatcher Demko, Vancouver Canucks
Demko has gotten off to a solid start to this season and is healthy, so even though he wasn’t invited to orientation camp, he was included on the expanded roster. While it’s hard to imagine Hellebuyck, Oettinger and Swayman not being the three goalies, he’s pushing.
Honorable mention
Joey Daccord