United States men's national ice hockey team facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
United States

Nickname(s)	Team USA
Association	USA Hockey
General Manager	Bill Guerin
Head coach	Mike Sullivan
Assistants	John Hynes David Quinn John Tortorella
Captain	Auston Matthews
Most games	Mark Johnson
Most points	Mark Johnson (146)
IIHF code	USA
IIHF ranking	4 (May 28, 2023)
Highest IIHF ranking	1 (2025)
Lowest IIHF ranking	7 (2003, 2006–07, 2012)
Team colors
First international
United States  29–0  Switzerland (Antwerp, Belgium; April 24, 1920)
Biggest win
United States  31–1  Italy (St. Moritz, Switzerland; February 1, 1948)
Biggest defeat
Sweden  17–2  United States (Stockholm, Sweden; March 12, 1963) Soviet Union  17–2  United States (Stockholm, Sweden; March 15, 1969)
IIHF World Championships
Appearances	76 (first in 1920)
Best result	Gold: 3 (1933, 1960, 2025)
Canada Cup / World Cup
Appearances	8 (first in 1976)
Best result	Winner: (1996)
Olympics
Appearances	25 (first in 1920)
Medals	Gold: 3 (1960, 1980, 2026) Silver: 8 (1920, 1924, 1932, 1952, 1956, 1972, 2002, 2010) Bronze: 1 (1936)
International record (W–L–T)
580–500–87

The United States men's national ice hockey team, often called Team USA, plays for the United States in international ice hockey games. USA Hockey manages the team, overseeing ice hockey in the US. As of May 2025, Team USA was ranked number one in the world by the International Ice Hockey Federation.

Team USA has won gold medals at the 1960, 1980, and 2026 Winter Olympics. They also earned silver medals in 2002 and 2010. The team also won the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, beating their rivals Canada in the final. In 2025, they won a historic gold medal at the World Championships. This was their first World Championship win since 1933 (not counting the 1960 Olympics, which also counted as a World Championship). For a long time, the US often sent younger players to the World Championships instead of their top NHL stars. This gave new players valuable experience. However, this approach changed in the 2020s. Overall, Team USA has won many medals. They have three Olympic gold medals and 21 World Championship medals (including the 1960 Olympic gold). They also won the Canada Cup/World Cup once.

Team USA is one of the best ice hockey teams globally. They are part of the "Big Six" nations. These are the six strongest men's ice hockey teams. The other teams are Canada, the Czech Republic, Finland, Russia, and Sweden.

The Story of Team USA Hockey

Team USA first played international ice hockey at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. Ice hockey was a new Olympic sport then. They won a silver medal, coming in second to Canada. Throughout the 1920s and early 1930s, American teams played very well. They won silver medals at the 1924 and 1932 Winter Olympics. They also earned silver at the 1931 World Championships. Back then, the US teams were usually made up of amateur players. These players came from college teams or top American clubs. It wasn't a permanent national team like today.

The 1936 US Olympic Ice Hockey Team

In 1933, the United States won its first World Championship. A team called the Massachusetts Rangers (also known as Boston Olympics) beat Canada in Prague. Sherman Forbes scored early in the game. The score was tied until John Garrison scored the winning goal in overtime. The US team, coached by Walter A. Brown, won gold. Goaltender Gerry Cosby helped them beat Canada, a very strong team. About 12,000 fans watched this exciting win.

After their big win in 1933, the US team kept playing well. They were always a strong competitor. But they often just missed winning the top prize. They won silver medals at the World Championships in 1934, 1939, and 1950. They also won silver at the 1952 and 1956 Winter Olympics. Many of these teams featured great amateur and college players. For example, John Mayasich from the University of Minnesota was a star. He led the US in scoring at the 1956 Olympics.

The United States won gold again at the 1960 Winter Olympics in Squaw Valley, California. They beat many strong teams to win. These included the Soviet Union, Canada, Czechoslovakia, and Sweden. This win is sometimes called the "Forgotten Miracle." This is because the 1980 victory became more famous.

The 1963 US Ice Hockey Team, captained by Herb Brooks (pictured in the middle of the bottom row wearing the “C”), who would become the future coach of the legendary 1980 “Miracle on Ice” squad that went on to capture Olympic gold.

Mike Ramsey handling the puck in the Miracle on Ice game

The most famous success for American ice hockey was the "Miracle on Ice" in 1980. At the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, a team of American college players did something amazing. They beat the very strong Soviet Union team. The Soviet team had many experienced professional players. This win helped the US team earn a gold medal. Even though ice hockey isn't the biggest sport everywhere in the US, the "Miracle" is a legendary moment. Many people consider it one of America's greatest sports achievements. The US team won the gold medal by beating Finland in the final game. Coach Herb Brooks led the team. Mark Johnson was the top scorer. Goaltender Jim Craig made the most saves. He also had the best save percentage. This incredible victory later inspired the movie Miracle in 2004. The film shared the "Miracle on Ice" story with new fans.

In the 1980s and 1990s, American ice hockey talent grew a lot. Many future NHL stars emerged. Some of these players later joined the Hockey Hall of Fame. They included Tony Amonte, Chris Chelios, Brett Hull, Pat LaFontaine, Brian Leetch, and Mike Modano. From 1981 to 1994, the US team didn't finish higher than fourth in major tournaments. This was because they used amateur players. Other countries often used professionals. This long wait prepared them for a big win later on. After finishing second in the 1991 Canada Cup, the US team had a huge victory. They won the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. This was the first time this tournament was held, replacing the Canada Cup.

Coach Ron Wilson led Team USA. They surprised everyone by beating a very strong Canadian team. Canada was a favorite to win. The US lost the first game. But they came back to win two games in a row in Canada. The final game was a thrilling 5–2 victory in Montreal. Goaltender Mike Richter played incredibly well. He stopped many shots and was named the tournament's best player. Brett Hull led the team with seven goals. Tony Amonte scored the winning goal in Game 3. Captain Chris Chelios and Brian Leetch were strong defensemen. Forwards like Keith Tkachuk, John LeClair, and Mike Modano added speed and many goals. This win was the first major title for the US men's team. It showed that American hockey had grown up. It proved the US could beat Canada and other top teams.

Six years later, the International Olympic Committee and NHL worked together. They allowed NHL players to play in the Olympics. The US team won a silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Their team included NHL stars like Adam Deadmarsh, Chris Drury, Brian Rafalski, and Brian Rolston. By the 2006 Olympics, many of those NHL players were older or had retired. The 2006 team finished 8th, which was not what they hoped for. But it was a team with many young NHL players. These included Rick DiPietro, John-Michael Liles, and Jordan Leopold.

Patrick Kane playing for the United States at the 2010 Winter Olympics

The 2010 US Olympic team was much younger and faster. It included players like David Backes, Patrick Kane, Phil Kessel, and Zach Parise. The team also had experienced stars. Goalie Ryan Miller and captain Jamie Langenbrunner were key players. The US team beat Canada 5–3 in the first round. This made them the top seed for the knockout games. After beating Finland 6–1, the US reached the gold medal game. They lost to Canada 3–2 in overtime, earning a silver medal. Over 27 million US homes watched this final game. It was the most-watched hockey game in America since the 1980 "Miracle on Ice."

At the 2014 Winter Olympics, the United States finished fourth. They lost to Finland in the bronze medal game. In a game against Russia, T. J. Oshie became famous. The game was tied after regular time and overtime. Coach Dan Bylsma kept sending Oshie out for the shootout. Oshie took five shots in a row. He scored four of his six total attempts. His final goal won the game 3–2 for the US.

For the 2018 Olympics, the NHL did not allow its players to participate. This was due to disagreements about insurance and marketing rules. This put the American team at a disadvantage. Many NHL players are American. So, the US team had to quickly put together a team. It included players from European leagues, minor leagues, and colleges. The team did not do well. They lost to Slovenia and the Olympic Athletes from Russia. They were eliminated by the Czechs in the quarterfinals. The Russian team, however, benefited from the NHL's absence. They won the tournament with many players from their own KHL league. These included former NHL stars like Pavel Datsyuk and Ilya Kovalchuk.

The NHL also pulled out of the 2022 Winter Olympics at the last minute. This was due to scheduling problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The United States finished fifth. They had a surprising shootout loss to Slovakia. This meant they did not win a medal for the third Olympics in a row. Even though they had mostly college players, the team played well in the first round. They even beat rival Canada. But they lost in the quarterfinals.

In February 2024, Bill Guerin was named general manager for Team USA. He would lead the team for the Four Nations Face-Off and 2026 Winter Olympics. In May, Mike Sullivan became the head coach for both events. The Four Nations Face-Off was the first major international tournament with top players since 2016. The NHL had not allowed players in the Olympics for a long time. Also, top stars often missed the World Championships. Russia was not allowed to play in this tournament. The opening game against Canada was very intense. Three fights broke out in the first nine seconds. Brothers Matthew and Brady Tkachuk were involved. Team USA won that game 3–1. But they lost to Canada 3–2 in overtime in the championship game. Despite the loss, the US showed they are a top team. They are ready for the next Winter Olympics, which will again feature NHL players.

Tage Thompson at the 2025 IIHF World Championship

In 2025, the United States won its first World Championship since 1933. They beat Switzerland in the gold-medal game. This ended a 92-year wait for a standalone World Championship title. The 1960 Olympic gold also counted as a World Championship. But the 2025 win was their first at a separate World Championship tournament since 1933. Tage Thompson scored the winning goal in overtime against Switzerland. This secured the historic victory.

Team USA's Competitive Record

Olympic Games Results

Games	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Coach	Captain	Round	Position
1920 Antwerp	4	3	1	0	52	2	Fellowes, CorneliusCornelius Fellowes Schooley, RoyRoy Schooley	McCormick, JoeJoe McCormick	Silver medal round	2 Silver
1924 Chamonix	5	4	1	0	73	6	Haddock, William S.William S. Haddock	Small, IrvingIrving Small	Final round	2 Silver
1928 St. Moritz	Did not participate
1932 Lake Placid	6	4	1	1	27	5	Winsor, AlfredAlfred Winsor	Chase, JohnJohn Chase	Final round	2 Silver
1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen	8	5	2	1	10	4	Prettyman, AlbertAlbert Prettyman	Garrison, JohnJohn Garrison	Final round	3 Bronze
1948 St. Moritz	8	5	3	0	86	33	Garrison, JohnJohn Garrison	Harding, GoodwinGoodwin Harding	Round-robin	4th, DSQ
1952 Oslo	8	6	1	1	43	21	Pleban, ConnieConnie Pleban	Van, AllenAllen Van	Round-robin	2 Silver
1956 Cortina d'Ampezzo	7	5	2	0	33	16	Mariucci, JohnJohn Mariucci	Campbell, GeneGene Campbell	Final round	2 Silver
1960 Squaw Valley	7	7	0	0	48	17	Riley, JackJack Riley	Kirrane, JackJack Kirrane	Final round	1 Gold
1964 Innsbruck	7	2	5	0	29	33	Jeremiah, EddieEddie Jeremiah	Brooks, HerbHerb Brooks Reichart, BillBill Reichart	Round-robin	5th
1968 Grenoble	7	2	4	1	23	28	Williamson, MurrayMurray Williamson	Nanne, LouLou Nanne	Round-robin	6th
1972 Sapporo	6	4	2	0	23	18		Sheehy, TimTim Sheehy	Round-robin	2 Silver
1976 Innsbruck	6	3	3	0	23	25	Johnson, BobBob Johnson	Taft, JohnJohn Taft	Round-robin	5th
1980 Lake Placid	7	6	0	1	33	15	Brooks, HerbHerb Brooks	Eruzione, MikeMike Eruzione	Final round	1 Gold
1984 Sarajevo	6	2	2	2	23	21	Vairo, LouLou Vairo	Verchota, PhilPhil Verchota	7th place game	7th
1988 Calgary	6	3	3	0	35	31	Peterson, DaveDave Peterson	Leetch, BrianBrian Leetch	7th place game	7th
1992 Albertville	8	5	2	1	25	19		Donatelli, ClarkClark Donatelli	Bronze medal game	4th
1994 Lillehammer	8	1	4	3	28	32	Taylor, TimTim Taylor	Laviolette, PeterPeter Laviolette	7th place game	8th
1998 Nagano	4	1	3	0	9	14	Wilson, RonRon Wilson	Chelios, ChrisChris Chelios	Quarter-finals	6th
2002 Salt Lake City	6	4	1	1	26	10	Brooks, HerbHerb Brooks		Gold medal game	2 Silver
2006 Turin	6	1	4	1	16	17	Laviolette, PeterPeter Laviolette		Quarter-finals	8th
2010 Vancouver	6	5	1	—	24	9	Wilson, RonRon Wilson	Langenbrunner, JamieJamie Langenbrunner	Gold medal game	2 Silver
2014 Sochi	6	4	2	—	20	12	Bylsma, DanDan Bylsma	Parise, ZachZach Parise	Bronze medal game	4th
2018 Pyeongchang	5	2	3	—	11	12	Granato, TonyTony Granato	Gionta, BrianBrian Gionta	Quarter-finals	7th
2022 Beijing	4	3	1	—	17	7	Quinn, DavidDavid Quinn	Miele, AndyAndy Miele	Quarter-finals	5th
2026 Milan / Cortina d'Ampezzo				—			Sullivan, MikeMike Sullivan	Matthews, AustonAuston Matthews	Gold medal game	1 Gold
2030 French Alps	Future event

Results Against "Big Six" Teams

Opponents	Played	Won	Tied	Lost	Biggest victory	Biggest defeat
Canada	19	4	3	12	4–1	3–12
Czechoslovakia/  Czech Republic	21	10	0	11	16–0	1–7
Finland	13	7	2	4	8–2, 6–0	1–6, 0–5
Soviet Union/  CIS/  Russia	14	4	1	9	4–3, 3–2 (x3)	2–10
Sweden	15	6	2	7	20–0	1–5
Total	81	30	8	43	20–0	3–12

World Championships Results

Note: Between 1920 and 1968, the Olympic ice hockey tournament was also considered the World Championship for that year.

Note: World War II forced cancellation of all tournaments from 1940 to 1946.

Note: In 1972, a separate tournament was held both for the World Championships and the Winter Olympics for the first time.

Note: No World Championships were held during the Olympic years 1980, 1984, and 1988.

Note: The 2020 tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Canada Cup / World Cup of Hockey Results

Games	GP	W	L	T	GF	GA	Coach	Captain	Round	Position
1976	5	1	3	1	14	21	Pulford, BobBob Pulford	Nyrop, BillBill Nyrop	Group stage	5th
1981	6	2	3	1	18	23	Johnson, BobBob Johnson	Ftorek, RobbieRobbie Ftorek	Semi-finals	4th
1984	6	3	2	1	23	22	Johnson, BobBob Johnson	Langway, RodRod Langway	Semi-finals	4th
1987	5	2	3	0	13	14	Johnson, BobBob Johnson	Langway, RodRod Langway	Group stage	5th
1991	8	5	3	0	29	26	Johnson, BobBob Johnson	Otto, JoelJoel Otto	Finals	2 Silver
1996	7	6	1	0	37	18	Wilson, RonRon Wilson	Leetch, BrianBrian Leetch	Finals	1 Gold
2004	5	2	3	0	11	11	Wilson, RonRon Wilson	Chelios, ChrisChris Chelios	Semi-finals	4th
2016	3	0	3	—	5	11	Tortorella, JohnJohn Tortorella	Pavelski, JoeJoe Pavelski	Group stage	7th

Results Against "Big Six" Teams (Canada Cup / World Cup)

Opponents	Played	Won	Tied	Lost	Biggest victory	Biggest defeat
Canada	14	3	1	10	5–2 (x2)	3–8
Czechoslovakia/  Czech Republic	6	3	1	2	6–2	1–3
Finland	6	4	1	1	7–3	1–2
Soviet Union/  CIS/  Russia	9	4	0	5	5–2 (x2)	0–5
Sweden	6	4	0	2	7–1	2–9
Total	41	18	3	20	7–1	2–9

4 Nations Face-Off Results

Games	GP	W	L	GF	GA	Coach	Captain	Position
2025	4	2	2	12	7	Sullivan, MikeMike Sullivan	Matthews, AustonAuston Matthews	2 Silver

Team Roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics

The first six players for the United States' team were announced on June 16, 2025. The rest of the team was revealed on January 2, 2026. On January 21, defenseman Seth Jones was unable to play due to an injury. Jackson LaCombe took his place. On February 8, Auston Matthews was named captain. Charlie McAvoy and Matthew Tkachuk were chosen as alternate captains.

Head coach: Mike Sullivan

No.	Pos.	Name	Height	Weight	Birthdate	Team
1	G	Swayman, JeremyJeremy Swayman	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)	88 kg (194 lb)	(1998-11-24)24 November 1998 (aged 27)	Boston Bruins
2	D	LaCombe, JacksonJackson LaCombe	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)	93 kg (205 lb)	(2001-01-09)9 January 2001 (aged 25)	Anaheim Ducks
7	F	Tkachuk, BradyBrady Tkachuk	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)	102 kg (225 lb)	(1999-09-16)16 September 1999 (aged 26)	Ottawa Senators
8	D	Werenski, ZachZach Werenski	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)	98 kg (216 lb)	(1997-07-19)19 July 1997 (aged 28)	Columbus Blue Jackets
9	F	Eichel, JackJack Eichel	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)	94 kg (207 lb)	(1996-10-28)28 October 1996 (aged 29)	Vegas Golden Knights
10	F	Miller, J. T.J. T. Miller	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)	95 kg (209 lb)	(1993-03-14)14 March 1993 (aged 32)	New York Rangers
12	F	Boldy, MattMatt Boldy	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)	91 kg (201 lb)	(2001-04-05)5 April 2001 (aged 24)	Minnesota Wild
14	D	Faber, BrockBrock Faber	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)	91 kg (201 lb)	(2002-08-22)22 August 2002 (aged 23)	Minnesota Wild
15	D	Hanifin, NoahNoah Hanifin	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)	93 kg (205 lb)	(1997-01-25)25 January 1997 (aged 29)	Vegas Golden Knights
16	F	Trocheck, VincentVincent Trocheck	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)	85 kg (187 lb)	(1993-07-11)11 July 1993 (aged 32)	New York Rangers
19	F	Tkachuk, MatthewMatthew Tkachuk – A	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)	91 kg (201 lb)	(1997-12-11)11 December 1997 (aged 28)	Florida Panthers
21	F	Larkin, DylanDylan Larkin	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)	93 kg (205 lb)	(1996-07-30)30 July 1996 (aged 29)	Detroit Red Wings
25	D	McAvoy, CharlieCharlie McAvoy – A	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)	95 kg (209 lb)	(1997-12-21)21 December 1997 (aged 28)	Boston Bruins
29	F	Nelson, BrockBrock Nelson	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)	93 kg (205 lb)	(1991-10-15)15 October 1991 (aged 34)	Colorado Avalanche
30	G	Oettinger, JakeJake Oettinger	1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)	102 kg (225 lb)	(1998-12-18)18 December 1998 (aged 27)	Dallas Stars
34	F	Matthews, AustonAuston Matthews – C	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)	98 kg (216 lb)	(1997-09-17)17 September 1997 (aged 28)	Toronto Maple Leafs
37	G	Hellebuyck, ConnorConnor Hellebuyck	1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)	94 kg (207 lb)	(1993-05-19)19 May 1993 (aged 32)	Winnipeg Jets
43	D	Hughes, QuinnQuinn Hughes	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)	82 kg (181 lb)	(1999-10-14)14 October 1999 (aged 26)	Minnesota Wild
59	F	Guentzel, JakeJake Guentzel	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)	82 kg (181 lb)	(1994-10-06)6 October 1994 (aged 31)	Tampa Bay Lightning
72	F	Thompson, TageTage Thompson	1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)	100 kg (220 lb)	(1997-10-30)30 October 1997 (aged 28)	Buffalo Sabres
74	D	Slavin, JaccobJaccob Slavin	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)	94 kg (207 lb)	(1994-05-01)1 May 1994 (aged 31)	Carolina Hurricanes
81	F	Connor, KyleKyle Connor	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)	83 kg (183 lb)	(1996-12-09)9 December 1996 (aged 29)	Winnipeg Jets
85	D	Sanderson, JakeJake Sanderson	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)	92 kg (203 lb)	(2002-07-08)8 July 2002 (aged 23)	Ottawa Senators
86	F	Hughes, JackJack Hughes	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)	80 kg (176 lb)	(2001-05-14)14 May 2001 (aged 24)	New Jersey Devils
91	F	Keller, ClaytonClayton Keller	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)	79 kg (174 lb)	(1998-07-29)29 July 1998 (aged 27)	Utah Mammoth

IIHF World Championship Awards

The IIHF gives awards to the best players at each World Championship. These awards are for the top goalie, defenseman, and forward. They also give an award for the most valuable player (MVP). Here are the American players who have won these awards:

• 1955 – Don Rigazio (goalie)
• 1956 – Willard Ikola (goalie)
• 1959 – Bill Cleary (forward)
• 1960 – Jack McCartan (goalie)
• 1962 – John Mayasich (defenseman)
• 1967 – Carl Wetzel (goalie)
• 2004 – Ty Conklin (goalie)
• 2014 – Seth Jones (defenseman)
• 2018 – Patrick Kane (MVP)
• 2021 – Cal Petersen (goalie)
• 2025 – Zach Werenski (defenseman)

Team Uniforms Over Time

• National team uniforms
• 

  1980 Olympic uniforms

• 

  1988 Olympic uniforms

• 

  1989–1992 uniforms

• 

  1994 Olympic uniforms

• 

  1996 WCH uniforms

• 

  1998 Olympic uniforms, later used at IIHF tournaments in 1998–2000

• 

  2001–2004 uniforms

• 

  2004 WCH uniforms

• 

  2013 IIHF uniforms (no USA Hockey logo)

• 

  2014 Olympic uniforms

• 

  IIHF uniforms 2014–2017

• 

  2016 WCH uniforms

• 

  2018 Olympic uniforms

• 

  IIHF uniforms 2018–2021

• 

  2022 Olympic uniforms

• 

  IIHF uniforms 2022–2024

• 

  Four Nations Face-Off uniforms

• 

  IIHF uniforms 2025–present

• 

  2026 Olympic uniforms

See also

In Spanish: Selección de hockey sobre hielo de Estados Unidos para niños