Team USA’s roster features 14 first-round NHL Draft picks, more than 7,000 games of NHL experience, and 10 players who have previously competed in the IIHF Men’s World Championship.
“We’ve got an excellent group overall,” said John Hynes, head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team and also the bench boss of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild. “While we’ve just been together a short time, you can already see how this team is coming together. We’ll have a tough game to start with playing Sweden, but I know our guys are looking forward to the challenge.”
The U.S. and Sweden met in the preliminary round of last year’s world championship with Team USA earning a 4-3 victory thanks to Dylan Samberg’s goal 1:57 into overtime. All time, Sweden has a 37-1-2-11-5 (W-OTW-OTL-L-T) series advantage. The U.S. has won three of the last four meetings in the series.
Team USA played its lone pre-tournament game against Slovakia on Tuesday (May 7) in Bratislava and came away with a 6-2 victory. Matt Boldy and Will Smith each had a goal and an assist in the win and were two of 12 players to contribute points, while Alex Lyon made 17 saves on 19 shots in the first two periods before Trey Augustine turned aside all four shots he faced in the third period.
Brock Nelson from the New York Islanders arrived in Ostrava on Wednesday (May 8) and is expected to be in the lineup tonight. Alex Nedeljkovic from the Pittsburgh Penguins and Gavin Brindley from the Columbus Blue Jackets were announced as additions to the U.S. roster on Wednesday and arrived late Thursday.
