Team USA catches everyone off guard with Olympics decision

On Wednesday as Team Canada revealed its roster for the upcoming Olympics in Milan, Italy, Team USA has decided to take some extra time to make the final announcement.

The roster deadline to submit teams is Wednesday. And while Hockey Canada will call players in the morning and announce its team at noon (ET), the United States’ team will be announced on NBC’s “Today” show on Friday morning.

General manager Bill Guerin has reportedly called the players who made the team and didn’t make the team on Wednesday morning, but is asking fans to be patient.

“I know I’m going to be delivering disappointing news to some people, but I need to be honest with them and communicate the truth and what reality is,” Guerin said. “There’s a lot of hockey between now and then, we just don’t know what’s gonna happen and just ‘be ready.’ That’s all I can really say to them, and I will.”

Most of the United States’ forward group appears to be set in most projections. Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk, Jack Hughes, Matt Boldy, Jake Guentzel, Dylan Larkin, and Kyle Connor will likely fill the top nine.

Many wondered if the 4 Nations tournament was a tryout for the Olympics, and it would seem to be the case with recent reports. Team USA is apparently going to make very few changes to that roster.

However, on Wednesday afternoon, Emily Kaplan reported that "Clayton Keller, Tage Thompson and Seth Jones were named to the U.S. Olympic men's hockey team – all adds from Four Nations."

I guess we will know for sure on Friday...

Here is the projected roster for Team USA, per The Athletic… but that won’t be announced until Friday:

Already named to the roster (4): Likely captain Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Brady Tkachuk and Matthew Tkachuk

Rest of our projected forwards (10):Matt Boldy, Kyle Connor, Jake Guentzel, Jack Hughes, Clayton Keller, Dylan Larkin, J.T. Miller, Brock Nelson, Tage Thompson and Vincent Trocheck

Already named to the roster (2):Quinn Hughes, Charlie McAvoy

Rest of our projected defensemen (6):Brock Faber, Noah Hanifin, Seth Jones, Jake Sanderson, Jaccob Slavin, Zach Werenski

Our projected goalies (3):Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, Jeremy Swayman