MILAN – After arriving on their Delta charter Sunday morning from JFK, the United States men’s hockey team took the ice for practice for the first time Sunday night at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

The arena looked great, although the ice remains a work in progress. Some players said it was “soft,” and coach Mike Sullivan said it was pretty chewed up after the U.S followed a day’s worth of practices from other countries.

But the men’s tournament doesn’t start until Thursday, so the ice will have plenty of time to settle.

“Obviously, a lot of us just got off the plane this morning, so the main objective was just to try to move the blood out there, get them a sweat, get them some exercise, get their heart rates up a little bit,” Sullivan said. “Hopefully they’ll sleep better, they’ll feel better and we try to get on the same time zone and circadian rhythm, start to normalize.”

Sullivan said forward lines and defense pairs remain a work in progress, but it did look like the top two lines have started to take shape with Jack Eichel centering Brady and Matthew Tkachuk and captain Matthews centering Jake Guentzel and Matt Boldy, the young Minnesota Wild star who leads these American Olympians with 32 goals.

“There’s a lot of scoring talent on that line, so it’d be pretty special if I play with them,” Boldy said. “We’ll see what happens. Like I’ve said, you can’t really go wrong with who you play with here. Everyone’s so good and talented, but if that’s my spot, that’s great. If not, you find chemistry with other guys and you try to be successful.”

On the back end, Sullivan did initially reunite Jaccob Slavin with his 4 Nations Face-Off defense partner, Brock Faber, despite the fact Faber and Quinn Hughes have been exceptional playing together since Hughes was traded to Minnesota. Hughes skated with Charlie McAvoy, while Zach Werenski was with Noah Hanifin and Jake Sanderson was with Jackson Lacombe.

“You know what, for me, it’s such a deep defensive corps that I’m happy to play with anyone,” Faber said. “They’re all such good players. I’m definitely happy to play with whoever. (Slavin) saved my butt a few times (at 4 Nations). He’s definitely a tremendous defensive partner.”

Similarly, Hughes said he doesn’t care whom he plays with.

As expected, Auston Matthews, seen here talking with coach Mike Sullivan, was named Team USA’s captain on Sunday. (Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)

“Brock’s an elite player, and if I play with him, great. If I play someone else, great, we have a bunch of elite guys.”

As for the bottom two lines, Sullivan mixed and matched Tage Thompson, Vincent Trocheck, J.T. Miller, Brock Nelson, Clayton Keller, Kyle Connor, Jack Hughes and Dylan Larkin. Remember, too, unlike the NHL where teams can dress a maximum 18 skaters, in the Olympics, teams can dress 20.

“We have a little bit of time,” Sullivan said. “We have an idea of what we want to start with, and that will start to unfold here over the next couple of days. Just like our defense group, one of the things we love about our roster is just the versatility. We have a lot of centermen that can play the wing. We can move guys around the lineup depending on how we think lines are performing or players are performing — things of that nature.”

Sullivan did indicate the Tkachuks will be together.

“They were terrific at the 4 Nations event,” Sullivan said. “In a lot of ways they were, I think, the catalyst for helping us become the team that we had sought to become in that tournament in such a short period of time.”

McAvoy’s jaw swollen, but not refractured

McAvoy, who broke his jaw earlier this season, wore a fish bowl during Sunday’s practice to protect a jaw that has been swollen again, courtesy of a shot to the face from the Florida Panthers’ Sandis Vilmanis last week.

Fortunately, McAvoy’s jaw was not fractured again. But he is very sore.

“We’re very relieved, and it was concerning to watch,” said Sullivan, who happens to be McAvoy’s father-in-law. “Charlie plays the game so hard. He’s a fierce competitor, and he puts himself in harm’s way all the time for the sake of his team. And I think that speaks volumes for how competitive he is and just the courage that he plays the game with. He’s an elite defenseman, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to win and I think that’s why he endures what he endures. He’s a physical player himself, but he takes hits to make plays a lot and he does it undeterred. For me, if you want to define toughness, it’s not just about what you dish out. It’s your willingness to take hits to make plays also, and I think Charlie checks both of those boxes.”

Jack Hughes practices

Jack Hughes, who missed the final three games with the New Jersey Devils before the break with a lower-body injury, was a full participant in Sunday’s practice.

Sullivan said he won’t be limited in practice this week.

“I feel good,” Hughes said. “The body feels in a good spot.”

Hughes has gotten criticism for missing time with the Devils but being available to play for the U.S. at the Olympics.

“Injuries are tough,” his brother Quinn said. “And obviously the one with the hand (earlier this season) was a freak one and he just wanted to be healthy and wanted to be at his best. And he loves the game. No one hates missing games more than him.”

Quinn Hughes is excited to be healthy after missing the 4 Nations last year.

“I would feel bad for anyone that missed the Olympics, just because, I mean, 4 Nations is one thing, but the Olympics is the Olympics,” he said. “It was frustrating for me to miss it last year. And I think I would know what that felt like a little bit. But for me, I’m just thankful to be here this year and have more gratitude, if anything.”

Back to college

Hughes will be rooming in the Olympic village with his older brother, Quinn, while Brady and Matthew Tkachuk will be roomies and are right across the hall from the Hugheses, who “are like family to us,” Matthew Tkachuk said. “We’ve got a good little wing in our area. So it’s pretty much hanging out with them 24/7.”

“I think they probably push their beds together,” Eichel cracked about the Tkachuk brothers.

Matthew Tkachuk has already named their room “Club Tkachuk.”

Even though living in a hotel is an option for NHLers, Brady Tkachuk said the Americans have decided to stay in the athletes’ village so they can get the full Olympic experience.

“I’m not going to say I hate the posh hotels; they’re pretty nice, those ones that you go around North America and stay in,” Eichel said. “But, listen, it’s a really cool experience. It brings me back to what it’s like in college. You got a roommate who’s two feet away from you in the same room and you’re in a small little dorm, but I think it just brings the guys together.”

Odds and ends

As expected, Auston Matthews was named captain with Matthew Tkachuk and McAvoy wearing the “A’s.”

Sullivan predicts the Patriots will win the Super Bowl: “You can take the guy out of Boston, but you can’t take the Boston out of the guy.”