Team USA’s men’s ice hockey team won gold at the 2026 Milan Olympics after defeating Canada 2-1 in overtime. New Jersey Devils forward Jack Hughes knocked in the game-winner, continuing his ascension to national stardom. It was their first Olympic gold medal since 1980.
Despite some curious snubs and some close calls along the way, the United States can boast that it’s the top hockey country until the next best-on-best tournament, likely the 2028 World Cup of Hockey. However, while Team USA might have won gold, some skaters didn’t perform to expectations. Here are the three most disappointing players.
Kyle Connor
Winnipeg Jets winger Kyle Connor was expected to be one of the USA’s top offensive weapons. With 26 goals this season, he leads the Jets’ offense that lacks high-end scoring talent. However, he had a disastrous showing on the Olympic stage. Connor didn’t score any points or land any shots in the first two games, at which point Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan decided to scratch him for the rest of the tournament.
This is the second time he’s been scratched from Team USA’s lineup. He was scratched from the gold medal game against Canada in the 4 Nations Face-Off. His status for Team USA in 2028 could be in jeopardy, especially with Dallas Stars winger Jason Robertson waiting to get his shot.
Clayton Keller
Utah Mammoth winger Clayton Keller was also a big disappointment at the Olympics. He leads the Mammoth in points, with 55 points, including 17 goals, but Keller didn’t record a single stat for Team USA in the tournament.
Keller was left off the 4 Nations Face-Off roster, so he had to prove that he was worthy of a roster spot for the 2026 Olympic Games, and he achieved that.
Related: A Dream Come True: Clayton Keller Named to Team USA’s Olympic Roster
He’s also rarely been on a winning team. The Arizona Coyotes made the Stanley Cup Playoffs just once during his tenure after defeating the Nashville Predators during the qualifying round in the 2019-20 season. The Utah Hockey Club/Mammoth have never made the playoffs, although they are sitting comfortably in the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference.
Still, it’s hard to be a little disappointed in Keller’s lack of involvement offensively, especially since he ranked third among all American skaters in points last season.
Jake Guentzel
Tampa Bay Lightning winger Jake Guentzel was a sensation during the 4 Nations Face-Off. He scored three goals and an assist in four games for Team USA on their way to a silver medal. Unfortunately, once he travelled to Milan, his offensive game was almost non-existent.
He scored one goal through six games during the tournament, and that goal came in the 6-3 win against Team Denmark in the preliminaries. Jack Hughes, Brock Nelson, and JT Miller all earned more ice time.
It’s doubtful that Guentzel has fallen out of favor with Team USA or that his position is at risk for the next tournament. Everyone knows he can perform on the big stage, so it’s disappointing that he couldn’t step up as much in the Olympics.
Team USA at its Peak
It speaks volumes that the three most disappointing players for the USA were all wingers, and the team still won gold. Jack Hughes deserves his flowers for the overtime goal and for leading all forwards in points. But Colorado Avalanche center Brock Nelson was spectacular too, especially on the penalty kill against Canada.
The talent on this list shows that hockey in the United States is at an all-time high, and they should continue to build rosters that are capable of winning international tournaments for years to come.
