Lead: Reported by ESPN’s Emily Kaplan ahead of Friday’s formal announcement, Clayton Keller, Tage Thompson and Seth Jones have been named to the United States men’s Olympic hockey roster for Milan, while Adam Fox was omitted. The full roster is scheduled to be unveiled Friday at 8 a.m. ET on NBC’s TODAY. Several veterans — including Auston Matthews, Matthew Tkachuk, Brady Tkachuk, Charlie McAvoy, Quinn Hughes and Jack Eichel — are widely regarded as locks for the roster. The selections represent a notable shift from last season’s Four Nations group, with multiple additions and at least one subtraction.
Key Takeaways
- Sources: Emily Kaplan of ESPN reported Keller, Thompson and Jones were added; Adam Fox reportedly did not make the cut ahead of Friday’s official announcement at 8 a.m. ET on NBC’s TODAY.
- Clayton Keller (27) posted 33 points in 40 games this season; he reached 90 points in Utah’s inaugural NHL season the year prior and remains tied for his NHL team’s scoring lead.
- Tage Thompson (28), a 6’6″ forward, is leading the Buffalo Sabres in scoring during their nine-game winning streak and was a gold-medal hero at the 2025 IIHF World Championship.
- Seth Jones, playing for Florida, has 24 points in 39 games and has been a steady presence on the Panthers’ blue line this season.
- Adam Fox (27) returned from injury recently and has 28 points in 28 games this season, but is reportedly left off the Olympic roster.
- Unclear spots include Jason Robertson and Cole Caufield, with management reportedly favoring more veteran centers such as Brock Nelson and Vincent Trocheck for roster balance.
Background
The United States enters the Milan Olympics with a deep and experienced pool of NHL talent, forcing difficult choices for GM Bill Guerin and his staff. Last season’s Four Nations tournament provided a baseline roster, but NHL form, international experience and positional needs have shifted heading into the 2026 Games. GM Guerin must weigh scoring talent against two-way centre depth and defensive pairing chemistry when finalizing the 23-player Olympic roster.
Recent international carryover is relevant: several players who wore the red, white and blue in the 2025 IIHF World Championship — notably Keller and Thompson — remain in consideration thanks to their tournament experience and familiarity with international ice and styles of play. Conversely, Adam Fox’s omission (per reporting) underscores the U.S. depth on defense; a decision against an elite, Norris-winning defenseman will invite scrutiny given his status and recent form.
Main Event
Emily Kaplan’s reporting, ahead of the formal release, names Keller, Thompson and Jones as additions to Team USA while naming Adam Fox as a notable omission. Those moves alter the makeup from last season’s Four Nations roster, where some of these players had different roles or were not included. The final roster will be confirmed publicly Friday morning during NBC’s TODAY show at 8 a.m. ET.
Keller, now 27, followed a 90-point season in Utah’s first year with a quieter campaign — 33 points in 40 games — amid personal hardship after the death of his father. Despite the drop in raw totals, he remains a primary contributor and appears to have earned a spot based on scoring pedigree and prior international experience.
Tage Thompson, the 6’6″ sniper, was a question mark after last year’s Four Nations but has been central to Buffalo’s revival, pacing the Sabres during their nine-game winning streak. He also scored the overtime winner that clinched gold for the United States at the 2025 World Championship, an international resume point in his favor.
Seth Jones, who has 24 points in 39 games for the Florida Panthers, secured a roster spot as the U.S. leans on his veteran presence and steadiness on the back end. In contrast, Adam Fox — who has 28 points in 28 games and recently returned from injury — was reportedly left off, a selection that reflects both positional competition and roster-construction priorities.
Analysis & Implications
Selection of Keller, Thompson and Jones indicates a balance GM Bill Guerin and his staff are seeking: mix of scorers who can create offense and established defensemen who can play steady minutes on international ice. The U.S. appears to be prioritizing a combination of veteran experience and players with recent international success, rather than selecting solely on NHL-point totals.
Leaving Adam Fox off the roster, if confirmed, is a notable choice. Fox is an elite puck-moving defenseman with a Norris Trophy on his résumé and strong per-game production this season. His omission suggests coaches prioritized defensive pairings and role fit over individual accolades, and that team depth on the blueline made a difficult decision possible.
Offensively, uncertainty around Jason Robertson and Cole Caufield leaves open questions about the team’s top-six wing composition. Reports that Guerin may favor veteran two-way centers such as Brock Nelson and Vincent Trocheck imply a roster built to manage defensive-zone matchups and depth down the middle, potentially at the expense of younger pure scorers.
Internationally, these selections could affect the U.S. game plan: adding big scorers like Thompson provides net-front presence and shot volume, while players with prior international tournament success offer familiarity with the larger ice surfaces and officiating. The coaching staff’s deployment of those pieces will determine whether the roster’s construction can translate into medal-level performance in Milan.
Comparison & Data
| Player | Age | 2025-26 (Current) Stats | Role vs. Four Nations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clayton Keller | 27 | 33 points in 40 games | Addition (scoring forward) |
| Tage Thompson | 28 | Team-leading scorer for Buffalo during win streak | Addition (power forward/sniper) |
| Seth Jones | 34 | 24 points in 39 games | Addition (top-pair defense) |
| Adam Fox | 27 | 28 points in 28 games | Subtraction (reported omission) |
The table summarizes reported roster changes and on-ice production this season. While Keller’s raw points are down from his 90-point campaign in 2024–25, his role and experience remain factors. Thompson’s impact extends beyond raw totals to situational scoring and recent playoff-like performances, while Jones provides veteran defensive stability. Fox’s strong per-game scoring underscores why his omission would be a headline-making roster choice.
Reactions & Quotes
Media reporting and team timelines set the immediate narrative, with analysts already parsing what the roster decisions mean for matchups in Milan.
Keller, Thompson and Jones have been named to the U.S. Olympic roster; Adam Fox will not make the team.
Emily Kaplan / ESPN (reporting)
Shortly before the official release window, broadcasters confirmed timing and public rollout plans.
The U.S. roster will be announced Friday morning at 8 a.m. ET on NBC’s TODAY show.
NBC / TODAY (broadcast schedule)
Unconfirmed
- Jason Robertson and Cole Caufield’s final statuses remained unreported at the time of initial reporting; their inclusion is not confirmed.
- Specific internal deliberations by GM Bill Guerin and coaching staff about Adam Fox’s omission have not been publicly released and remain speculative.
- Any late changes to the roster between this report and Friday’s official announcement would not be reflected here.
Bottom Line
If confirmed, adding Clayton Keller, Tage Thompson and Seth Jones while leaving out Adam Fox underscores the depth the United States can call upon for Milan — and the difficult trade-offs that selection committees face. The moves suggest a tilt toward a blend of proven international performers and forwards who can produce at even-strength and in net-front roles.
Expect scrutiny if a Norris-winning defenseman in his prime is passed over; such decisions are often judged by how well replacements perform on the Olympic stage. The formal announcement Friday at 8 a.m. ET will settle outstanding questions and allow coaches to finalize lines and pairings ahead of the tournament.