Predicting USA's 2026 Olympic Women's Hockey Roster

USA has a wealth of young players still filtering up through the NCAA. It will be a difficult decision to see where a veteran like Hilary Knight stands with USA at the 2026 Olympics, as the nation continues to filter in young talent. USA looks like they're about to enter a period of dominance internationally. Whether that begins in 2026 or after, it's coming.

Here's a look at how Team USA's women's hockey roster could take shape for the 2026 Olympic Games.

Goaltenders

There are plenty of options in USA's system. Aerin Frankel remains the top option for USA, but there are others knocking at the door from Nicole Hensley and Gwyneth Philips, and beyond them it's going to be hard to ignore Ava McNaughton and Annelies Bergmann for long.

The Picks:

Defenders

It's hard to picture a lot of turnover here from their current defensive roster. It would be interesting to debate whether she'd make the roster if Lee Stecklein returned. There's also reason to believe any of Sydney Morrow, Allyson Simpson, or Sydney Bard could crack the lineup in two seasons, and the same could be said for any of the Ohio State blueliners from last season like Hadley Hartmetz, Lauren Bernard, Emma Peschel, or even Cornell's Grace Dwyer or Wisconsin's Vivian Jungels or Laney Potter. USA likes to keep their roster fresh, and they're not afraid to insert a rising star.

The Picks:

Forwards

This will be the most difficult spot for USA. Do they run it back one more time with veterans like Hilary Knight and Kendall Coyne Schofield, or do they go with a roster of youth playing for another Miracle on Ice. Teams of the past have made these hard decisions with stars like Cammi Granato, and it's certain to come here as well, one way or the other. The "problem" for USA is their sheer depth of forwards. Players like Casey O'Brien, Izzy Daniel, and Elyssa Biederman were on the outside looking in this year. Will they be in 2026? It's hard to believe all of them will. Similarly, PWHL players like Grace Zumwinkle and Maureen Murphy are contenders for roster spots. The gap between college and pro is only going to get larger, but there will always be room for the talented NCAA players coming out of USA Hockey.

The Picks:

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