It didn鈥檛 take much to stir Jack Eichel鈥檚 national pride in looking ahead to at the .
Appearing on a Team USA Zoom call on Thursday, the Vegas Golden Knights forward jumped right in when reminded how U.S. teams featuring NHL players competing in best-on-best international tournaments haven鈥檛 won a gold medal since the 1996 World Cup of Hockey series.
鈥淚鈥檒l take it,鈥� Eichel interjected after Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy apologized for not hearing the question.
鈥淚 think there鈥檚 a lot to prove for us as USA Hockey,鈥� Eichel said. 鈥淚 think for a while it was Canada on a pedestal by themselves. And I think for us, we feel like we鈥檝e closed that gap. And I think this is a great opportunity to prove that.鈥�
From the Boston area, Eichel supported his case by referring to the growing pool of American talent that鈥檚 entered the NHL though the U.S. national development program over the past decade. And that鈥檚 reflected in how a majority of the U.S. team鈥檚 23-player roster is made up of USNDP alumni, Eichel included.
鈥淥bviously, we feel very confident in our group and the names on our roster,鈥� Eichel said. 鈥淏ut that鈥檚 only half the battle. You鈥檝e got to go out there and do it. And we鈥檙e excited for that opportunity.鈥�
The 4 Nations Face-Off was unveiled last All-Star Weekend. It splits NHL players from Canada, Finland, Sweden and the U.S. into four teams, replacing the All-Star Game format this season.
Eichel鈥檚 comments came a day after the nations unveiled their entire rosters to compete in the NHL/NHL Players' Association-backed tournament being split and running from Feb. 12-20.
Though talented, the Americans have lacked success at the senior international level.
The U.S. last medaled at the world championships by winning bronze in 2021, and hasn鈥檛 placed better than third since 1960 at Squaw Valley, which also doubled as the Winter Games. The Americans' last Olympic gold came with amateurs competing at the 1980 Lake Placid Games, since dubbed the 鈥淢iracle On Ice,鈥� while winning silver medals with NHL players in 2002 and 2010 鈥� both times losing to Canada.
And then there was 1996, when goalie Mike Richter earned World Cup MVP honors in helping the Americans beat Canada in a decisive Game 3 of the final series.
鈥淚 think we check every box there is,鈥� McAvoy said. 鈥淚 think the confidence amongst us in our group should be sky high.鈥�
The U.S. team鈥檚 brain trust, headed by Wild GM Bill Guerin and Penguins coach Mike Sullivan, prioritized experience over potential in filling out the 17 remaining roster spots.
Forwards Chris Kreider, of the Rangers, and Brock Nelson, of the Islanders, are the oldest players on the team at age 33, and have extensive world championships experience. The youngest player is also the only one with Olympic experience: 22-year-old Minnesota defenseman Brock Faber, who played at the Beijing Games in 2022 when the NHL pulled out because of pandemic-related scheduling issues.
They鈥檒l go up against a talent-laden Team Canada that features forwards Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and defenseman Cale Makar.
The U.S. team is particularly strong down the middle with Eichel, Auston Matthews and Dylan Larkin. Another strength is in net with a trio led by two-time Vezina Trophy-winner Connor Hellebuyck and rounded out by Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman.
USA Hockey has enjoyed its most success in winning and six since 2004. Four Nations teammates McAvoy, Oettinger and defenseman Adam Fox were members of the U.S. team that won the 2017 world junior title.
Team Canada officials also went with a veteran-laden group, featuring 14 players who have won at least one Stanley Cup title.
鈥淵ou can鈥檛 put a price tag on experience,鈥� Canada and Lightning coach Jon Cooper said Thursday.
鈥淚 truly believe this is a tournament where you鈥檙e basically playing three Game 7s (in the preliminary round). ... There鈥檚 no real margin for error," he added. 鈥淭his is as competitive a group as you will find. Every one of these players will lay in traffic for their country."
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The 91原创 Press contributed to this story.
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AP NHL:
John Wawrow, The Associated Press
