With the NHL dropping out of the upcoming Olympics, Team USA’s men’s hockey roster has a drastically different look than one would have assumed just a few months ago, but one name on the list will be familiar to Chicago Blackhawks fans.
Goaltender Drew Commesso, who recently represented the United States in the World Junior Championships, was one of three goaltenders named to the 25-man roster, which was released on Thursday.
Commesso, a second-round draft pick of the Blackhawks in 2020, has an 8-7-3 record, along with a 2.67 goals against average, for Boston University so far this season.
He will be joined on the roster by goaltender Pat Nagy, a Bloomfield, Michigan native who has bounced around the ECHL and AHL in a long playing career, including eight games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.
Highlighting some of the bigger names on the roster is forward Matty Beniers. The second-overall pick of the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 NHL Draft, Beniers is currently playing at the University of Michigan, with 12 goals and 14 assists to his credit this season.
Former Chicago Steel star and 2020 NHL first round draft pick Brendan Brisson will also don the red, white and blue this winter. A draft pick of the Vegas Golden Knights, Brisson has 14 goals and 13 assists for the Wolverines in 23 collegiate games this season.
Defenseman Andy Miele, born in Detroit, will also be on the squad. He played in 74 games for the Steel during his junior career, and ultimately appeared in 15 NHL games, with two assists to his credit. He has appeared in 47 games for Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo of the KHL this season, with 13 goals and 23 assists on his ledger.
Sports
Ann Arbor-native Steven Kampfer also made the team, with 15 goals and 24 assists to his credit in 231 NHL games.
Here is the full roster for Team USA:
Forwards –
Nick Abruzzese, Kenny Agostino, Matty Beniers, Brendan Brisson, Noah Cates, Sean Farrell, Sam Hentges, Matthew Knies, Marc McLaughlin, Ben Meyers, Andy Miele, Brian O’Neill, Nick Shore, Nathan Smith
Defensemen –
Brian Cooper, Brock Faber, Drew Helleson, Steven Kampfer, Aaron Ness, Nick Perbix, Jake Sanderson, David Warsofsky
Goaltenders –
Drew Commesso, Strauss Mann, Pat Nagle
