The U.S. Olympic team includes four players with Connecticut ties

There are two former Yale players on the list: Brian O’Neill and Kenny Agostino. O’Neill is the only returning Olympian after playing in the 2018 Games.

Both O’Neill and Agostino are currently playing in the Continental Hockey League. O’Neill, who played 22 games for the New Jersey Devils in the 2015-16 season and spent five years in the AHL, is third in the KHL with 33 points and 11 points with 42 points. Agostino, from New Jersey, who performed. In 86 NHL matches, he is seventh in KHL with 20 goals.

O’Neill finished his career at Yale second with 163 points and 94 assists and sixth with 69 goals. He split the best game in the program with 138. Agostino, a member of the 2013 national team, placed Yale ninth in points (132), 10th in points (76) and 12th in goals (56).

Yale is among five schools (Boston University, Boston College, Harvard and St. Cloud State) with two players on the list. Two schools – Michigan and Minnesota – have four players.

Another state-affiliated player is Aaron Ness, who played for AHL’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers from 2010-2015. Ness served as Bridgeport captain in 2014-15 and is the best scorer in the series among defenders with 123 points.

He is currently a member of the Providence Bruins.

Team USA was built quickly after the NHL announced on December 21, 2021 that the league players ’league had ended up in the Beijing Games due to COVID-19 problems.

The team’s CEO is former NHL goalkeeper John Vanbiesbrouck and is coached by former Rangers head coach David Quinn.

The list included 15 current NCAA players, eight European professionals and two AHL players. The winter races will be held from 3 to 20. February.

“We are excited about the list we have drawn up,” Vanbiesbrouck said in a statement. “The Olympics are the biggest stage in the sport, and it was fun to hear the players’ enthusiasm to represent their country. We are fortunate to have a wide range of talent – thanks in part to the great work of our volunteers in communities across the nation – and the combination of players on our team look forward to competing for the gold medal in Beijing. “

Among the college players is Minnesota Staten’s Nathan Smith, NCAA’s top scorer this season. The team also includes North Dakota defender Jake Sanderson, the son of former Hartford Whalers striker Geoff Sanderson.

Michigan-based Matt Beniers, of Hingham, Massachusetts, who was Seattle Kraken’s second overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, is perhaps the brightest player on the list.

The average age of the list is 25.1 years, making it the youngest U.S. team since 1994 (22.4). At the age of 19, the Beniers are the youngest player. Longtime AHL and ECHL goalkeeper Pat Nagle 34, is the oldest player.

Most players on the list are in Minnesota (six), Massachusetts (five) and Michigan (four).

TEAM USA ROSTER

Ahead: Nick Abruzzese, Kenny Agostino, Matty Beniers, Brendan Brisson, Noah Cates, Sean Farrell, Sam Hentges, Matthew Knies, Marc McLaughlin, Ben Meyers, Andy Miele, Brian O’Neill, Nick Shore, Nathan Smith

Defenders: Brian Cooper, Brock Faber, Drew Helleson, Steven Kampfer, Aaron Ness, Nick Perbix, Jake Sanderson, David Warsofsky

Goalkeepers:
Drew Salesman, Strauss Mann, Pat Nagle