Way-Too-Early Team USA Roster Selections for 2028 World Cup of Hockey
Watching the men's Olympic gold medal game on Sunday and seeing the United States take a 2-1 overtime win over Canada to win their first gold since 1980 was thrilling beyond words. It was an incredible game in what turned out to be an amazing return to the Olympics for NHL players. Even though players and fans alike are still basking in the glow of it all, we've got our eyes set on the 2028 World Cup of Hockey.
If you're already missing how fun it was seeing the world's best players going against each other, the NHL will bring it all back again in 2028 and rather than just going for four nations, there will be eight teams duking it out and even though the United States is going to ride the high of winning its first gold medal in 46 years, Canada, Sweden, Finland and others will be out to unseat them in the World Cup.
Team USA might want to run this team back in two years, but just how will they set the lineup when it's time to add a World Cup title to their record, along with the Olympic gold and the 2025 World Championships title?
Let's get into it way too soon, shall we? We'll break it down as we have in the past, picking four lines, three defense pairs, and three goalies. We'll sweat out the extras another time because the debate is starting right now.
First-Line Forwards
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Brady Tkachuk -- Jack Eichel -- Matthew Tkachuk
We're going to try our hardest not to just reuse the full lineup from Team USA's gold medal-winning performance, but let's be real here: Team USA ran back nearly the entire lineup from the team that lost the Four Nations Face-Off title game, making only a handful of changes. Keeping the top line together is a no-brainer here.
With how well the Eichel and the Tkachuks played at Four Nations and again during the Olympics, there's no reason to think they won't be back together at the World Cup of Hockey unless things get really wacky with how teams are assembled.
The Tkachuks' collective grit and grind mixed with skill blends well with Eichel's all-around game, and Eichel's creativity and speed allow the Tkachuks to wreak havoc all over the ice and especially around the net.
Second-Line Forwards
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Clayton Keller -- Auston Matthews -- Matt Boldy
One huge difference between how Team USA played at Four Nations and at the Olympics was Auston Matthews's ability to be a factor at both ends of the ice. While he was able to get goals and assists early on in the tournament, his defensive play in the knockout round was exceptional. The way he and Matt Boldy connected throughout the Olympics showed through in Boldy's big goals.
While Jake Guentzel was an outstanding winger with them, we're thinking in two years' time there might be a change to be made with that spot and Clayton Keller is the heir apparent to jump into that spot.
Keller was the 13th forward later in the Olympics, and given how Team USA management likes to stick to their guns (well, usually anyway) if they're concerned with Guentzel's ability to hang in a couple of years, Keller is right there to jump into the role.
Third-Line Forwards
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Jack Hughes -- Dylan Larkin -- Tage Thompson
When Kyle Connor lost his spot in the Team USA lineup after two unproductive games, his spot on a line with Dylan Larkin and Tage Thompson opened up and provided coach Mike Sullivan with the chance to find a way to get Jack Hughes going, and boy, did it ever work.
The switch lit a fire under all three players, and Team USA suddenly went from two lines rolling to three lines absolutely cooking, causing nightmares for opponents trying to match up against them. Larkin's two-way play and offensive smarts, paired with Thompson's size, reach, creativity, and shot, along with Hughes's incredible offensive ability, and now a golden goal legacy, made them a dangerous trio later in the tournament.
We've mentioned how Team USA likes to stick to what works, and this line turned things up for their attack in a big way as the tournament went on. While others may emerge in the years to come, and other players will be available to pick from, this line looks like a winner.
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Fourth-Line Forwards
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Cutter Gauthier -- Vincent Trocheck -- Josh Doan
Of all the forward lines, we wanted to have the most fun messing around with the fourth line, since it's the most malleable.
What we know from Team USA is that they want a line that can play with plenty of grit, physicality, and pace, while also possessing offensive ability. At the Olympics, the trio of J.T. Miller, Trocheck, and Brock Nelson proved very effective despite the snark from fans online about just about everyone on it.
In two years, the chances of that line being the exact same are pretty high if we're being honest. Again, Team USA loves to stick with what they know. However, we know Canada will make adjustments to their lineup, as will the other teams, and there will be plenty of players who will play themselves onto the team.
What we learned from how Bill Guerin and company picked the Olympic roster and replaced injured players was that they liked knowing what they were getting, and the World Championships team provided that insight. That's why we're swapping out Miller and Nelson for Cutter Gauthier and Josh Doan.
Gauthier and Doan both play on their toes, get in on the forecheck, and aren't afraid to use their bodies to make a play at either end of the ice. Both players are having incredible seasons in the NHL, and their careers are on an upward trajectory. With an even more veteran Trocheck to center that line, it's one you could easily see in red, white, and blue in two years.
First-Defense Pairing
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Quinn Hughes -- Charlie McAvoy
Remember when we all thought Quinn Hughes and Brock Faber were going to pair up because they suddenly became Minnesota Wild teammates? Silly us!
Instead, Hughes paired with Boston's Charlie McAvoy, and while Hughes makes any pairing, he's on the No. 1 duo, having McAvoy next to him puts it on a higher level.
Hughes' all-around brilliance with the puck gave McAvoy the chance to avoid being the guy to start the rushes and instead focus more on matching up and playing defense. It also gave him the green light to play more physically all over the ice and wear down opponents.
While others could also play well alongside Hughes or McAvoy, keeping them together has given and will continue to give Team USA an elite first pairing even two years from now.
Second-Defense Pairing
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Jaccob Slavin -- Brock Faber
This duo was the clear second pairing against Canada, and throughout the Olympics, given the roles each plays, they're a natural fit to stay together in two years' time.
Slavin's shutdown defensive play makes him a natural fit for Faber's puck-handling elusiveness and ability to make great passes and exit the zone himself. With Slavin, he's able to stay in front of the best players and hinder their ability to get to the net or make a play with ease.
Faber, meanwhile, is more offensive in nature but doesn't have obvious holes in his defensive game or in how he handles matchups in the defensive zone. That he's as good with the puck as he is, it makes the Wild more dangerous when he's working with Quinn Hughes, but with the depth Team USA has on the blue line, it only makes sense to spread that wealth around.
It's a classic, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" setup for Team USA.
Third-Defense Pairing
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Zach Werenski -- Seth Jones
It's kind of amazing that, for as good as Zach Werenski is on defense (he was a Norris finalist last season), he was on the third pairing for Team USA at the Olympics, and yet, there he was on the ice in overtime setting up Jack Hughes for the golden goal. His spot on Team USA is cemented when the World Cup comes around in two years, thanks to his two-way excellence and knack for being in the right place at the right time.
While Werenski's partner, Jake Sanderson, did very well, the lefty-lefty setup on the blue line isn't always a good thing for defensemen. It's wild to think about how Seth Jones was supposed to be on the Olympic team, but an injury forced him out of action and allowed Jackson LaCombe to be on the roster.
Given Jones and Werenski's familiarity from their time together in Columbus, it makes for a natural pairing. Even though Jones will be 33 when the World Cup comes around, and there are many options for Team USA, it's clear Guerin and company preferred Jones' two-way game and more physical nature for the blue line.
Goaltenders
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Connor Hellebuyck, Jeremy Swayman and Jake Oettinger
Even though Team USA only really needed one goalie, they've got three to pick from, and why in the world would they change their personnel?
Hellebuyck silenced his critics with his performance in the Olympics. His display of goaltending brilliance in the 2026 Olympics was on par with Dominik Hašek's from Nagano in 1998, and he undeniably stole the gold medal game from Canada. His three Vezina trophies and MVP award, along with his shiny new gold medal, have him destined for the Hockey Hall of Fame one day, and he's the man unless he's too hurt to play.
As for Swayman and Oettinger, it's bittersweet to be also outstanding goalies in the Hellebuyck era. One day they'll get a chance to be Team USA's No. 1 goalie, but as long as Hellebuyck is around, that day won't be now.
They'll have other American goalies to contend with in years to come, like Joey Daccord, Brandon Bussi, Dustin Wolf, Spencer Knight, Thatcher Demko, and John Gibson (not to mention Joseph Woll and Jacob Fowler further down the road), but the wealth of goalies the United States has is incredible.
Fortunately for those picking teams, the pecking order at the top is relatively set in stone.
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