Team USA Submits Preliminary 2026 Olympic Roster, Adds 3 Interesting Players

The 2026 Olympic orientation camp was in August for Team USA, and there were some players left off that certain fanbases weren't happy about. It isn't easy to be one of the players representing your country at the Olympics, especially in a big hockey country like the United States.

But with the expanded roster, more players are added to the mix, including three that Frank Seravalli revealed. Among the players listed on the preliminary roster submission were Lane Hutson, Thatcher Demko, and Brock Boeser.

Hutson being left off the August invitation caused the biggest uproar after winning the Calder Trophy for the rookie of the year and finishing ninth in Norris Trophy voting as a 20-year-old. The US does have some very good defense, though, but as a star in the league already, they have to be thinking about the present and future. Frank Nazar got an invitation, and even though he doesn't have a high chance of making the team despite how well he has started this season, he will be on the team in the future, possibly in 2030.

Demko is healthy, and when that's the case, he is an elite goalie. He finished second in Vezina Trophy voting in 2023-24 when he had 35 wins, a .918 SV%, and five shutouts. Injuries have been what have made him fade into the background, but he has a chance to step back into the light as he's been playing great to kick off the 2025-26 season for the Vancouver Canucks.

Boeser is a scorer, but the US team will have plenty of those. He is talented and could be a different player with high-end players surrounding him every shift. He could get a shot, but the likely chance is that he will be on the outside. Boeser does have three goals in four games to start the season, but it will take consistent play at an elite level to get ahead of the other forwards.