 | |
| Nickname | Team USA |
|---|---|
| Association | USA Hockey |
| General manager | Bill Guerin |
| Head coach | Mike Sullivan |
| Assistants | John Hynes David Quinn John Tortorella |
| Captain | Auston Matthews |
| Most games | Mark Johnson |
| Most points | Mark Johnson (146) |
| Team colors | |
| IIHF code | USA |
 | |
| Ranking | |
| Current IIHF | 1 4 (May 26, 2025)[1] |
| Highest IIHF | 1 (2025) |
| Lowest IIHF | 7 (2003, 2006–07, 2012) |
| First international | |
United States  29–0 Switzerland(Antwerp, Belgium; April 24, 1920) | |
| Biggest win | |
United States 31–1 Italy(St. Moritz, Switzerland; February 1, 1948) | |
| Biggest defeat | |
Sweden  17–2 United States(Stockholm, Sweden; March 12, 1963) Soviet Union  17–2 United States(Stockholm, Sweden; March 15, 1969) | |
| Olympics | |
| Appearances | 24 (first in1920) |
| Medals |  Gold: (1960,1980) Silver: (1920,1924,1932,1952,1956,1972,2002,2010) Bronze: (1936) |
| IIHF World Championships | |
| Appearances | 76 (first in1920) |
| Best result |  Gold: (1933,1960,2025) |
| Canada Cup /World Cup | |
| Appearances | 8 (first in1976) |
| Best result |  Winner: (1996) |
| International record (W–L–T) | |
| 580–500–87[2] | |
TheUnited States men's national ice hockey team[3] also known asTeam USA, represents theUnited States in men's international ice hockey. The team is controlled byUSA Hockey, the governing body for organizedice hockey in the United States. As of May 2025, the team is ranked 1st in theIIHF World Rankings.[4]
The U.S. captured gold medals at the1960 and1980 Olympics, and earned silver medals more recently at the2002 and2010 Olympics. At the best-on-best professional level outside of the Olympics, Team USA has won the1996 World Cup of Hockey, defeatingCanada in the finals. Most recently, the U.S. claimed a historic gold at theWorld Championships in2025[5]—its first IIHF Worlds title since1933 and its third recognized world title overall when including the 1960 Olympic gold that the IIHF also recognizes as a World Championship.[6][7]
Unlike other nations, the U.S. did not typically use its bestNHL players in the World Championships. Instead, it provided the younger players with an opportunity to gain international experience, although they changed the approach by the 2020s.[8] Overall, the team has collected eleven Olympic medals (two of them gold), 21 World Championship medals (three of them gold, including1960), and it reached the semi-final round of the Canada Cup/World Cup five times, twice advancing to the finals and winning gold once.[9] Before 2025, the U.S. had never reached a World Championship gold medal game, having lost in the semi-final round twelve times since the IIHF introduced a playoff system in 1992; this includes six semi-finals appearances in ten tournaments from 2013 through 2023, and three consecutive in 2021, 2022, and 2023.
The U.S. is one of the most successful national ice hockey teams in the world and a member of the so-called"Big Six", the unofficial group of the six strongest men's ice hockey nations, along with Canada, theCzech Republic,Finland,Russia, andSweden.[10][11][12]
The United States first entered international ice hockey competition at the1920 Summer Olympics inAntwerp, where the sport made its Olympic debut, earning a silver medal behindCanada. American teams continued to be competitive throughout the 1920s and early 1930s, claiming silver medals at the1924 and1932 Winter Olympics, as well as at the1931 IIHF World Championships. In this era, the U.S. national squads were typically composed of players drawn from amateur or collegiate programs, often representing leading American clubs rather than a permanent national team.[13][14][15][16]
In1933, the United States won its first IIHF World Championship title when the Massachusetts Rangers (aka Boston Olympics) defeated Canada inPrague. Sherman Forbes scored early, but the game remained deadlocked after regulation untilJohn Garrison netted the winning goal in a mandatory 10-minute overtime. The U.S. squad, coached byWalter A. Brown and backed by goaltenderGerry Cosby, edged Canada—a perennial powerhouse—to claim gold in front of some 12,000 spectators.[17][18]
Following their breakthrough gold in 1933, the United States remained a consistent contender on the international stage but often fell just short of the top prize. The Americans earned silver medals at the1934,1939, and1950 IIHF World Championships, as well as at the1952 and1956 Winter Olympics.[19][20] Many of these squads were built around standout amateur and collegiate players—such asUniversity of Minnesota starJohn Mayasich, who led the U.S. in scoring at the 1956 Cortina Games.[21] The United States eventually would reclaim gold at the1960 Winter Olympics inSquaw Valley,California. At those Games, the Americans captured gold by defeating a gauntlet of hockey powers, including theSoviet Union, Canada,Czechoslovakia, andSweden. Yet, because this achievement was later overshadowed by the more famous 1980 victory in Lake Placid, the 1960 championship has fittingly come to be known as the “Forgotten Miracle.”[22][23][24]
The American ice hockey team's greatest success was the "Miracle on Ice" at the1980 Winter Olympics inLake Placid,New York, when American college players defeated the heavily favored seasoned professionals from the Soviet Union on the way to a gold medal. Though ice hockey is not a major sport in most areas of the United States, the "Miracle" is often listed as one of the all-time greatest American sporting achievements.[25][26] The U.S. clinched the gold medal by defeatingFinland in the final game.[27] Under the leadership of coachHerb Brooks, forwardMark Johnson led the team in scoring, while goaltenderJim Craig led all netminders in both saves and save percentage.[28][29] The team’s improbable triumph later inspired the critically acclaimed 2004 filmMiracle, which brought the story of the “Miracle on Ice” to a new generation of fans.[30]
The United States ice hockey team experienced a spike in talent in the 1980s and 1990s, with futureNHL stars (many who would later be inducted into theHockey Hall of Fame) includingTony Amonte,Chris Chelios,Derian Hatcher,Brett Hull,Pat LaFontaine,John LeClair,Brian Leetch,Mike Modano,Mike Richter,Jeremy Roenick,Kevin Stevens,Keith Tkachuk, andDoug Weight. Although the U.S. finished no higher than fourth in any World or Olympic event from 1981 through 1994 (unlike other teams that used professionals, the U.S. team was limited to amateurs at these tournaments), that long drought set the stage for a breakthrough on hockey’s biggest professional stage. After a runner-up finish in the1991 Canada Cup, the Americans finally broke through with a landmark victory at the1996 World Cup of Hockey, the first edition of the tournament that replaced theCanada Cup. Coached byRon Wilson, Team USA stunned the hockey world by defeating a powerhouse Canadian squad in a best-of-three final. After dropping Game 1, the Americans stormed back with two straight wins on Canadian ice, including a dramatic 5–2 clincher in Montreal. Goaltender Mike Richter delivered a legendary performance, turning aside a barrage of shots and earning tournament MVP honors, while Brett Hull paced the offense with seven goals and Tony Amonte netted the series-winning goal late in Game 3.[31] Captain Chris Chelios anchored a formidable blue line that also featured Brian Leetch, while a deep forward corps led by Keith Tkachuk, John LeClair, and Mike Modano overwhelmed opponents with speed and scoring depth. The victory marked the United States’ first senior men’s title in a best-on-best professional tournament, signifying a coming of age for American hockey and proving that the U.S. could defeat Canada and the world’s elite on the international stage.[32][33][34]
Six years later, after theInternational Olympic Committee and NHL arranged to accommodate an Olympic break in the NHL schedule, the U.S. earned a silver medal at the2002 Winter Olympics with a roster that included NHL starsAdam Deadmarsh,Chris Drury,Brian Rafalski, andBrian Rolston. However, by2006, many of theseNHL players had retired or had declined with age. Though the 2006 Olympic team finished a disappointing 8th, it was more of a transitional team, featuring young NHL players likeRick DiPietro,John-Michael Liles, andJordan Leopold.[35][36]
The2010 U.S. Olympic team was composed of much younger and faster players than teams of previous years, includingDavid Backes,Dustin Brown,Jack Johnson,Patrick Kane,Phil Kessel,Zach Parise,Joe Pavelski,Bobby Ryan,Paul Stastny, andRyan Suter. The team also had a solid group of veterans that included such stars as goalieRyan Miller, defensemanBrian Rafalski, and team captainJamie Langenbrunner. The U.S. team upset team Canada 5–3 in the round-robin phase of the tournament and went into the single elimination phase of the tournament as the number-one seeded team. After beating Finland 6–1, the U.S. advanced to the gold medal game, where they lost in overtime 3–2 to Canada to claim the silver medal. The gold medal game between Canada and the U.S. was watched by an estimated 27.6 million U.S. households. This was the most watched hockey game in America since the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" game, including anyStanley Cup Finals orNHL Winter Classic broadcast.[37]
The United States finished fourth at the2014 Winter Olympics, falling to Finland in the bronze medal game.[38] In a preliminary-round game againstRussia,T. J. Oshie became the centerpiece of one of the most memorable shootouts in Olympic history. With the game tied 2–2 after regulation and overtime, Team USA coachDan Bylsma repeatedly turned to Oshie against Russian goaltenderSergei Bobrovsky. Oshie opened the shootout as the first of three initial shooters, followed byJames van Riemsdyk and Joe Pavelski. When the score remained deadlocked after the first three rounds, international rules allowed coaches to reuse shooters — and Bylsma kept sending Oshie. The American forward took five consecutive attempts, converting four of his six total shots, including the dramatic eighth-round winner that sealed a thrilling 3–2 U.S. victory.[39][40][41]
The NHL pulled out of theOlympics for the 2018 competition in a dispute over insurance and the IOC'sambush marketing restrictions, prohibiting the national teams from inviting any player it held under contract. The American team was put at a particular disadvantage, as more than 31% of NHL players are Americans (in comparison, only 4.1% are Russians). As a result, the U.S. had to enter the tournament with a hastily assembled team of free agents, players from European leagues,AHLers on one-way contracts, and college players.[42] The team proved unsuccessful, losing toSlovenia and theOlympic Athletes from Russia in the preliminary round, and being eliminated by theCzechs in the quarterfinals.[43] The OAR team benefited most from NHL's absence and ultimately won the tournament with a team that was composed primarily ofSKA Saint Petersburg andHC CSKA Moscow players from the Russia-basedKHL andfeatured ex-NHL all-starsPavel Datsyuk,Ilya Kovalchuk andVyacheslav Voynov (all SKA).[44][45]
On March 31, 2021,Stan Bowman was appointed the general manager of the U.S. Olympic men's hockey team for the2022 Beijing Games.[46] On October 26, 2021, Bowman resigned in response to the results of an independent investigation into allegations ofsexual assault committed by a member of the Blackhawks' video coaching staff.[47] The lead investigator stated that Bowman's failure to report the alleged assault had eventually led to the perpetrator committing further acts of sexual abuse.[48] The United States finished fifth at the2022 Winter Olympics, after a stunning shootout loss toSlovakia, marking their third consecutive Olympic Games without a medal. Despite fielding a team of mostly NCAA players, the team went undefeated in the preliminary round, highlighted by a victory over rival Canada, before falling in the quarterfinals.[49]
In February 2024,Bill Guerin was announced as general manager of Team USA for theFour Nations Face-Off and2026 Winter Olympics.[50] In May,Mike Sullivan was named head coach of the team for both competitions.[51] The Four Nations Face-Off marked the first best-on-best international ice hockey competition since the2016 World Cup of Hockey, ending a almost decade-long drought brought on by the NHL’s failure to stage any international tournament since 2016, the NHL's decision to bar players from the Olympic Games, and the regular absence of top stars from the IIHF World Championships due to NHL playoff obligations or personal choice.[52][53] The tournament was an NHL-exclusive event, meaning only NHL players were eligible to compete, and notably, Russia was excluded because of its ongoing IIHF ban.[54] The opening game against Canada set an intense tone immediately, as three fights erupted within the first nine seconds, sparked by brothersMatthew andBrady Tkachuk.[55] Team USA captured a spirited 3–1 victory in that contest, but ultimately fell to Canada 3–2 in overtime in the championship game.[56] Despite the narrow defeat, the United States demonstrated that it remains a top contender heading into the next Winter Olympics, which will once again feature NHL players.[57]
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In 2025, the United States captured its first IIHF World Championship title since 1933, defeatingSwitzerland in the gold-medal game to end a remarkable 92-year drought. Although the Americans’ 1960 Olympic gold is also recognized by the IIHF as a world championship, the 2025 victory marked the nation’s first official IIHF World Championship triumph since 1933.[58]Tage Thompson sealed the historic win by scoring the overtime game-winner against Switzerland at2025 IIHF World Championship.[59]
| Opponents | Played | Won | Tied | Lost | Biggest victory | Biggest defeat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Canada | 19 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 4–1 | 3–12 |
 Czechoslovakia/ Czech Republic | 21 | 10 | 0 | 11 | 16–0 | 1–7 |
 Finland | 13 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 8–2, 6–0 | 1–6, 0–5 |
Soviet Union/ CIS/ Russia | 14 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 4–3, 3–2 (x3) | 2–10 |
| Sweden | 15 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 20–0 | 1–5 |
| Total | 81 | 30 | 8 | 43 | 20–0 | 3–12 |
Silver Silver Silver Silver
Gold Silver
Bronze Silver Bronze Silver Silver Silver Gold Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze Bronze Gold| Games[63] | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Coach | Captain | Round | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 21 | Bob Pulford | Bill Nyrop | Group stage | 5th |
| 1981 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 23 | Bob Johnson | Robbie Ftorek | Semi-finals | 4th |
| 1984 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 22 | Bob Johnson | Rod Langway | Semi-finals | 4th |
| 1987 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 13 | 14 | Bob Johnson | Rod Langway | Group stage | 5th |
| 1991 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 29 | 26 | Bob Johnson | Joel Otto | Finals | Silver |
| 1996 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 37 | 18 | Ron Wilson | Brian Leetch | Finals | Gold |
| 2004 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 11 | Ron Wilson | Chris Chelios | Semi-finals | 4th |
| 2016 | 3 | 0 | 3 | — | 5 | 11 | John Tortorella | Joe Pavelski | Group stage | 7th |
| Opponents | Played | Won | Tied | Lost | Biggest victory | Biggest defeat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 14 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 5–2 (x2) | 3–8 |
| Czechoslovakia/ Czech Republic | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6–2 | 1–3 |
| Finland | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7–3 | 1–2 |
| Soviet Union/ CIS/ Russia | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 5–2 (x2) | 0–5 |
| Sweden | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 7–1 | 2–9 |
| Total | 41 | 18 | 3 | 20 | 7–1 | 2–9 |
| Games | GP | W | L | GF | GA | Coach | Captain | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 12 | 7 | Mike Sullivan | Auston Matthews | Silver |
Roster for the2025 IIHF World Championship.[64][65]
Head coach:Ryan Warsofsky
| No. | Pos. | Name | Height | Weight | Birthdate | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | G | Jeremy Swayman | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | 88 kg (194 lb) | (1998-11-24)24 November 1998 (age 26) | Boston Bruins |
| 2 | D | Jackson LaCombe | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 93 kg (205 lb) | (2001-01-09)9 January 2001 (age 24) | Anaheim Ducks |
| 6 | D | Mason Lohrei | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | 100 kg (220 lb) | (2001-01-17)17 January 2001 (age 24) | Boston Bruins |
| 7 | D | Michael Kesselring | 1.96 m (6 ft 5 in) | 98 kg (216 lb) | (2000-01-13)13 January 2000 (age 25) | Utah Mammoth |
| 8 | D | Zach Werenski | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 99 kg (218 lb) | (1997-07-19)19 July 1997 (age 28) | Columbus Blue Jackets |
| 9 | F | Clayton Keller –C | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | 79 kg (174 lb) | (1998-07-29)29 July 1998 (age 27) | Utah Mammoth |
| 10 | F | Matty Beniers | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 82 kg (181 lb) | (2002-11-05)5 November 2002 (age 23) | Seattle Kraken |
| 12 | F | Shane Pinto | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | 93 kg (205 lb) | (2000-11-12)12 November 2000 (age 25) | Ottawa Senators |
| 18 | F | Drew O'Connor | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | 95 kg (209 lb) | (1998-06-09)9 June 1998 (age 27) | Vancouver Canucks |
| 19 | F | Cutter Gauthier | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 91 kg (201 lb) | (2004-01-19)19 January 2004 (age 21) | Anaheim Ducks |
| 20 | D | Andrew Peeke | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | 97 kg (214 lb) | (1998-03-17)17 March 1998 (age 27) | Boston Bruins |
| 22 | F | Isaac Howard | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | 86 kg (190 lb) | (2004-03-30)30 March 2004 (age 21) | Michigan State Spartans |
| 23 | F | Mikey Eyssimont | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 91 kg (201 lb) | (1996-09-09)9 September 1996 (age 29) | Seattle Kraken |
| 28 | D | Zeev Buium | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 83 kg (183 lb) | (2005-12-07)7 December 2005 (age 19) | Minnesota Wild |
| 30 | G | Hampton Slukynsky | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 84 kg (185 lb) | (2005-07-02)2 July 2005 (age 20) | Western Michigan Broncos |
| 35 | G | Joey Daccord | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 91 kg (201 lb) | (1996-08-19)19 August 1996 (age 29) | Seattle Kraken |
| 43 | F | Will Smith | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | 82 kg (181 lb) | (2005-03-17)17 March 2005 (age 20) | San Jose Sharks |
| 47 | F | Michael McCarron | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | 105 kg (231 lb) | (1995-03-07)7 March 1995 (age 30) | Nashville Predators |
| 72 | F | Tage Thompson –A | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | 100 kg (220 lb) | (1997-10-30)30 October 1997 (age 28) | Buffalo Sabres |
| 73 | D | Alex Vlasic | 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in) | 98 kg (216 lb) | (2001-06-05)5 June 2001 (age 24) | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 76 | D | Brady Skjei –A | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in) | 95 kg (209 lb) | (1994-03-26)26 March 1994 (age 31) | Nashville Predators |
| 81 | F | Josh Doan | 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) | 90 kg (200 lb) | (2002-02-01)1 February 2002 (age 23) | Utah Mammoth |
| 83 | F | Conor Garland | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | 75 kg (165 lb) | (1996-03-11)11 March 1996 (age 29) | Vancouver Canucks |
| 91 | F | Frank Nazar | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | 86 kg (190 lb) | (2004-01-14)14 January 2004 (age 21) | Chicago Blackhawks |
| 92 | F | Logan Cooley | 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in) | 87 kg (192 lb) | (2004-05-04)4 May 2004 (age 21) | Utah Mammoth |
The IIHF has given awards for each year's championship tournament to the topgoalie,defenseman, andforward (all since 1954), and most valuable player (since 2004). The following American team members have won awards.
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