It was a week ago when Team USA announced the 24 players who will represent the country at the 2026 Olympics in Milan next month. And to suggest there were more than a few questionable decisions would be an understatement.
Seven of the country’s top-13 scorers were left off the roster. The top scorer among forwards and the top scorer among defencemen were both not chosen. Neither was a Norris Trophy winner, as well as a two-time Olympian who is ranked second all-time among U.S. scorers.
We’ll have to wait and see if GM Bill Guerin made the right call. But already, those who snubbed are already making it clear that they believe they should have been selected.
Here are five of the bigger omissions, with a look at how they have performed in the seven days since the roster was announced:
Jason Robertson, Dallas Stars
The biggest snub, Robertson was ranked first among Americans scorers with 48 points in 41 games and was second with 25 goals when the U.S. team was announced. While Guerin refused to specifically indicate why a talented offensive player like Robertson was not chosen, he told reporters: “We’re putting together a team, not just a group of individuals.” Since then, Robertson has continued to produce at a world-class level, scoring a goal and four points in three games for a Stars team that has gone 1-1-1 in the past week.
Lane Hutson, Montreal Canadiens
Last year’s Calder Trophy finalist was not even invited to the U.S. selection camp in September — which prompted his Manitoba-born father to suggest at the time that Hutson might switch allegiances and play for Canada instead — so it was not exactly surprising that Hutson went unpicked. Still, it was a curious omission. No American defenseman has produced more than Hutson, who is ranked third among all NHL defensemen with 43 points in 43 games. In the past week, the Canadiens blueliner has scored two goals and three points in three games, with a plus-4 rating.
Cole Caufield, Montreal Canadiens
You have to figure that if Caufield were a little taller, then the 5-foot-8 winger would have made the team. Despite his lack of size, there’s no denying that he can fill the net. Caufield is tied for fifth among American goal-scorers with 21 goals in 43 games this season. In the past three years, only six Americans have scored more. Curiously enough, two of them (Robertson and Alex DeBrincat) were also left off the team. Led by Caufield, who had a goal and assist in a 4-1 win against Calgary on Wednesday, the Canadiens have gone 2-1-0 in the past week
Adam Fox, New York Rangers
It was five years ago that Fox was named the NHL’s best defenseman. But despite his pedigree and the fact that his coach with the Rangers is also the head coach of Team USA, Fox was left off the team in favor of Florida’s Seth Jones. Some of suggested that the decision was based on Fox’s struggles at the 4 Nations Face-off, where he was on the ice for Canada’s overtime winner. But Guerin denied the link, saying “If you think we made a decision on one play, then you must not think we’re very smart.” Fox, who suffered a lower-body injury in Monday’s game against Utah, was placed on the injured reserve so he might not have been available anyway
Patrick Kane, Detroit Red Wings
Arguably the greatest American player of all time, Kane — like Canada’s Sidney Crosby and Drew Doughty— would have been the only player on the U.S. team that played at the 2010 and 2014 Olympics. It’s another way of saying that the 37-year-old is old. Still, with six goals and 24 points in 29 games, it’s clear that Kane still has some more to give. Since being left off the team, Kane has gone two games without a point. But for a team lacking in experience, his leadership might have been invaluable.
