"THE TWO-DAY CAMP -- about three weeks before NHL training camps open -- featured no on-ice sessions, and no systems and strategy were discussed. The focus was building camaraderie and setting expectations. Guerin gathered the 44 players in a ballroom for a talk once they arrived. According to players, the message was this: Team USA had a good showing at the 4 Nations but fell short. The Olympics are a bigger stage, with more tradition. The 2026 Games are a prime opportunity to make a statement on how far the United States has come as a hockey country."
"With the U.S. looking to win its first Olympic gold in men's hockey since the 1980 Miracle on Ice team, the talent pool is deeper than ever. General manager Bill Guerin and his staff have a series of difficult decisions. "The guys that played in [4 Nations] did a great job, but we have to go back to the drawing board and start over again," Guerin said. "Guys have to be playing well. They've got to be healthy. So it's really tough to say how much is the roster going to change. I don't know. We will see as time goes on, but having the two extra spots is huge.""
""The expectation is to go to Milan and win the gold medal," Vegas star Jack Eichel said Wednesday at the camp. "I think anything short of that, it would be disappointing.""
The 4 Nations Face-Off energized preparations for the 2026 Milan Olympics as NHL players return for the first time in 12 years. Team USA held a two-day orientation camp focused on building camaraderie and setting expectations rather than on-ice systems. General manager Bill Guerin faces difficult roster decisions driven by player form and health, and values the two additional roster spots. Players voiced clear gold-medal expectations, with Vegas star Jack Eichel calling anything less disappointing. The United States is targeting its first Olympic men's hockey gold since 1980 with a noticeably deeper talent pool.
Read at ESPN.com
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