On June 16, 2025, USA Hockey said that Jack Eichel, who plays center for the Vegas Golden Knights, would be one of the first six players on the United States men’s ice hockey team for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan–Cortina. This will be Eichel’s first time playing in the Olympics.
Eichel will be playing with other great NHL players like Auston Matthews, Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, Quinn Hughes, and Charlie McAvoy.
This is a major moment for Eichel’s career. He’s been a consistent performer in the NHL, which was capped off by helping the Golden Knights grab their first Stanley Cup in 2023. That same year, he almost won the Conn Smythe Trophy. His invite to the Olympics shows how good he is on the international stage and is great for the Vegas Golden Knights, as they’ll have a well-known player representing them.
After a 12-year break due to money problems and the pandemic, NHL players will be back at the Winter Olympics in 2026. This should make the Olympic ice hockey games way more thrilling.
Bill Guerin, the general manager for USA Hockey, says the team hopes to keep up their winning streak and really make the U.S. a team to watch. The U.S. has had some recent victories, such as taking home the gold at the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championship for the first time since 1933, and they’ve also been doing great in junior tournaments.
This shows how well Eichel is doing, and also how Team USA is making a comeback with fresh talent and big goals as they get ready for the Olympics.
