The United States hockey players nominated fifteen NCAA players to nominate for the February Beijing Olympics. Among them is striker Matty Beniers from the University of Michigan, who was chosen by NHL newcomer Seattle last year.
Two hockey players were taken by general manager John Vanbiesbrouck from the lower AHL and eight members of the 25-member staff are involved in European competitions.
Nineteen-year-old Beniers, like Defenders Brock Faber of the University of Minnesota, Drew Helleson of Boston College, Jake Sanderson of the University of North Dakota and others, was also a representative of the University of Michigan at last year’s Twenties World Championships in Edmonton.
In addition, Beniers, like goalkeeper Drew Commesso, who did not intervene in the game, was a member of the bronze team from the Riga World Cup at the turn of May and June last year.
The only player with Olympic experience on the team to lead David Quinn as head coach with assistants Mike Hastings, Brett Larson, Scott Young and David Lassond is forward Brian O’Neill of the Helsinki Jokerit in the Continental League. He was in Pyongyang four years ago.
Only two other members of the staff presented themselves at major international events. Defender David Warsofsky from Ingolstadt, Germany, played at the 2016 World Cup and striker Andy Miele from Nizhny Novgorod was at the 2011 and 2014 World Championships. Warsofsky also boasts the title of Under-20 World Champion in 2010.
Seven players introduced themselves in the NHL. Novosibirsk striker Nick Shore has 299 basic matches and five more in the playoffs for Los Angeles, Ottawa, Calgary, Toronto and Winnipeg. Kazan defender Steven Kampfer played 231 NHL duels for Boston, Minnesota, Florida and the New York Rangers, as well as three more in the Stanley Cup.
Warsofsky played for Boston, Pittsburgh, New Jersey and Colorado (55 games in the NHL and 4 in the playoffs), another quarterback Aaron Ness of Providence of the AHL for New York Islanders, Washington, Arizona (72 matches) and strikers Ken Agostino of Nizhny Novgorod for Calgary, St. Louis, Boston, Montreal, New Jersey and Toronto (86), Miele for Phoenix (15) and O’Neill for New Jersey (22).
The Americans will enter the Olympic tournament on Thursday, February 10 against domestic China. Two days later, Canada is waiting for them in Group A. and on Sunday, February 13, they will compete with Germany.
US nomination for the Beijing Olympics (February 9-20):
Goalkeepers: Drew Commesso (Boston University/NCAA), Strauss Mann (Skelleftea AIK/Švéd.), Pat Nagle (Lehigh Valley/AHL).
Defenders: Brian Cooper (Oskarshamn/Švéd.), Brock Faber (University of Minnesota/NCAA), Drew Helleson (Boston College/NCAA), Steven Kampfer (Kazaň/KHL), Aaron Ness (Providence/AHL), Nick Perbix (St. Cloud State University/NCAA), Jake Sanderson (University of North Dakota/NCAA), David Warsofsky (Ingolstadt/Něm.).
Attackers: Nick Abruzzese (Harvard University/NCAA), Ken Agostino, Andy Miele (Nižnij Novgorod/KHL), Matty Beniers, Brendan Brisson (University of Michigan/NCAA), Noah Cates (University of Minnesota-Duluth/NCAA), Sean Farrell (Harvard University/NCAA), Sam Hentges (St. Cloud State University/NCAA), Matthew Knies, Ben Meyers (University of Minnesota/NCAA), Marc McLaughlin (Boston College/NCAA), Brian O’Neill (Jokerit Helsinky/KHL), Nick Shore (Novosibirsk/KHL), Nathan Smith (Minnesota State University/NCAA).
.
