Winnipeg Jets’ sniper Kyle Connor, defenseman Neal Pionk, and star goaltender Connor Hellebuyck have been chosen to USA Hockey’s 44-player Olympic Orientation Camp roster forward of the 2026 Winter Olympic Video games in February.
It’s the first time since 2014 NHL gamers are taking part, therefore additionally the primary time the trio — who weren’t skilled hockey gamers again then — can have the possibility to play for his or her nation in best-on-best play on the world’s largest stage.
Kyle Connor
Connor was among the many 24 forwards chosen to the roster. Final season, the Shelby Township, Michigan product racked up 41 targets and 56 assists in 82 video games for a team-high 97 factors. 2024-25 was the 28-year-old’s seventh-career 30-plus purpose season.
Connor represented the USA on the 4 Nations Face-Off in February however performed a restricted function on head coach Mike Sullivan’s squad, who can also be head coach for the Olympics. He obtained bottom-six minutes and was controversially scratched for the Ultimate in favour of Chris Kreider, who had 49 fewer factors than Connor on the time. Within the three round-robin video games, Connor had one help, a minus-1 ranking, and averaged 12:27 in ice time.
Neal Pionk
Pionk was considered one of 16 defenseman chosen to the roster. Final season, the Omaha, Nebraska-born and Hermantown, Minnesota-raised product had one thing of a renaissance contract-year marketing campaign, scoring 10 targets and including 29 assists for 39 factors and a plus-21 ranking in 69 video games. He parlayed his sturdy efficiency right into a six-year extension with a $7 million common annual worth. Nonetheless, he could also be an extended shot to crack USA’s remaining roster than Connor and Hellebuyck.
The 30 12 months previous beforehand represented the USA on the 2018 IIHF World Championship in Denmark, profitable a bronze medal.
Connor Hellebuyck
Hellebuyck, the 2025 Hart Trophy winner and defending back-to-back Vezina Trophy winner, will seemingly be USA’s starter and is the largest shoo-in among the many 4 goaltenders.
Final season, the Commerce, Michigan product reached a brand new stage of dominance and performed a key function in serving to the Jets seize the franchise’s first Presidents’ Trophy, posting a 47-12-3 document, 2.00 targets in opposition to common (GAA), .925 save proportion (SV%), eight shutouts, and 41.6 targets saved above anticipated.
A longtime workhorse, Hellebuyck has racked up 322 wins in 558-career begins for a 57.7 win fee and has posted a top quality begin 60 per cent of the time. He has stolen numerous video games for the Jets since making his NHL debut in 2015-16, particularly in seasons previous the place the Jets’ defensive personnel and dedication had been a lot sketchier than they’re now.
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Hellebuyck additionally represented the USA on the 4 Nations Face-Off, staring three of their 4 video games, posting a 2-1-0 document, 1.59 GAA, and .932 SV%.
Jets Might be Represented Properly at 2026 Olympics
The USA’s Olympic Orientation Camp takes place Aug. 23 and 24. The 2026 Olympics happen from Feb. 6 to 22 in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, with the boys’s ice hockey event happening in Milan.
In June, Jets’ ahead Nino Niederreiter was among the many first six gamers named to Switzerland’s roster. It’s seemingly that Josh Morrissey and Mark Scheifele will probably be chosen to Canada’s roster as each had been invited to Orientation Camp and performed on the 4 Nations Face-Off.
Make sure you comply with The Hockey Writers for intensive Olympic protection main as much as and in the course of the video games.
