The Vegas Golden Knights will have another representative at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, as defenseman Noah Hanifin was named to the United States’ roster, which was unveiled Friday morning.
Hanfin will join Jack Eichel, who was named as one of the original six players back in June.
Hanifin has two goals and 14 points in 28 games with Vegas this year.
Eichel leads the Golden Knights in scoring with 41 points in 31 games and has a team-high three game-winning goals. He has missed the last seven games but is expected to return to the lineup for Friday’s tilt against the Blues.
Hanifin and Eichel both represented the United States in last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off, where the Team USA fell to Team Canada in the championship game.
In addition to Eichel, the five players named to the roster last summer were Auston Matthews (TOR), Matthew Tkachuk (FLA), Brady Tkachuk (OTT), Quinn Hughes (MIN) and Charlie McAvoy (BOS).
All five were named to the 4 Nations Face-Off roster, though Hughes did not compete due to injury.
There are a few changes to this year’s iteration, however.
New to the mix are forwards Clayton Keller (UTA) and Tage Thompson (BUF) as well as defenseman Seth Jones (FLA), while forward Chris Kreider (ANA) and defenseman Adam Fox (NYR) were the notable subtractions.
The other forwards named to the team were Matt Boldy (MIN), Kyle Connor (WPG), Jake Guentzel (TBL), Jack Hughes (NJD), Dylan Larkin (DET), J.T. Miller (NYR), Brock Nelson (COL) and Vincent Trocheck (NYR).
Joining Hanifin, Hughes, Jones and McAvoy on the blue line will be Brock Faber (MIN), Jake Sanderson (OTT), Jaccob Slavin (CAR) and Zach Werenski (CBJ), while Connor Hellebuyck (WPG), Jake Oettinger (DAL) and Jeremy Swayman (BOS) will patrol the pipes.
Golden Knights forwards Mark Stone and Mitch Marner as well as defenseman Shea Theodore were named to Team Canada on Wednesday, and forward Jonas Rondbjerg was one of the first six players named to Team Denmark last summer.
Sweden and Finland also revealed their rosters on Friday.
Team Sweden will be without William Karlsson, however, who will not be available to compete due to injury. Karlsson has been out of the Vegas lineup since Nov. 8.
Team Sweden’s forward group will include Jesper Bratt (NJD), Leo Carlsson (ANA), Joel Eriksson Ek (MIN), Filip Forsberg (NSH), Pontus Holmberg (TBL), Alex Wennberg (SJS), Mario Kempe (LAK), Gabriel Landeskog (COL), Elias Lindholm (BOS), William Nylander (TOR), Elias Pettersson (VAN), Rickard Rakell (PIT), Lucas Raymond (DET) and Mika Zibanejad (NYR).
The Swedish blue line will feature Rasmus Andersson (CGY), Philip Broberg (STL), Jonas Brodin (MIN), Rasmus Dahlin (BUF), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (TOR), Gustav Forsling (FLA), Victor Hedman (TBL) and Erik Karlsson (PIT).
Filip Gustavsson (MIN), Jacob Markstrom (NJD) and Jesper Wallstedt (MIN) will share crease duties.
Up front, Team Finland selected forwards Sebastian Aho (CAR), Joel Armia (LAK), Mikael Granlund (ANA), Erik Haula (NSH), Roope Hintz (DAL), Kaapo Kakko (SEA), Oliver Kapanen (MTL), Joel Kiviranta (COL), Artturi Lehkonen (COL), Anton Lundell (FLA), Eetu Luostarinen (FLA), Mikko Rantanen (DAL), Teuvo Teravainen (CHI) and Eeli Tolvanen (SEA).
On the back end, Team Finland will feature defensemen Miro Heiskanen (DAL), Henri Jokiharju (BOS), Mikko Lehtonen (ZSC Lions, NL), Esa Lindell (DAL), Olli Maatta (UTA), Nikolas Matinpalo (OTT), Niko Mikkola (FLA) and Rasmus Ristolainen (PHI).
In net, Finland elected to go with Kevin Lankonen (VAN), Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (BUF) and Juuse Saros (NSH).
This is the first time since 2014 that NHL players will participate in the Olympics.