Ice hockey-Matthews headlines US team as NHL stars return to Olympics
FILE PHOTO: May 16, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews (34) shoots and scores against the Florida Panthers during the third period in game six of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images/File Photo REUTERS
NEW YORK - Auston Matthews will lead the American charge at the Milano-Cortina Winter Games next year, as USA Hockey named the first six players to their roster on Monday with NHL stars able to compete on the Olympic stage for the first time since 2014.
Players from the top-flight North American league were expected to compete at the 2022 Beijing Games but NHL executives elected not to send players weeks before the Olympics began due to schedule disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The National Hockey League said it would release its talent this time around, clearing the way for the sport's biggest stars to take the Olympic stage.
Matthews, the most prolific scorer in the league since joining in 2016, will ditch his Toronto Maple Leafs blue for the stars and stripes, while Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk will play alongside brother Matthew Tkachuk, whose Florida Panthers are one win away from a second straight Stanley Cup.
The Vancouver Canucks captain and ruthless defenceman Quinn Hughes was also named to the U.S. first six, along with the Boston Bruins' Charlie McAvoy and the Vegas Golden Knights' Jack Eichel.
"We've seen the unprecedented success of our U.S. teams on the international stage this past season and we need to keep our foot on the gas," the U.S. Olympic men's team general manager Bill Guerin said in a statement.
"The players we've named today represent excellence. They're committed to the mission in front of us and excited about the opportunity to represent our country in the Olympics."
The United States is set to name the rest of the team in early January for the Olympic ice hockey tournament that begins on February 11 in Milan. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Haliburton goes down injured in Game 7 of NBA Finals
Jun 22, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) reacts after suffering an injury during the first quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder during game seven of the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images REUTERS Haliburton goes down injured in Game 7 of NBA Finals Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton left injured midway through the first quarter in the winner-take-all Game 7 of the NBA Finals against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. The point guard was off to a terrific start in the decider with three three-pointers in the first five minutes of the game when he slipped and fell while driving toward the basket at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. He slapped his fist and wept as team medical staff rushed to his aid with five minutes left in the quarter. He was later seen gingerly moving to the locker room with the aid of two staff members with a towel over his head. An NBA Finals MVP contender, Haliburton suffered a previous calf injury in Game 5 of the series. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
From fallen giants to giant-killers: Botafogo's remarkable revival
Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Group B - Paris St Germain v Botafogo - Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, California, U.S. - June 19, 2025 Botafogo players celebrate after the match IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Kirby Lee REUTERS Once Brazilian football royalty, Botafogo had languished for decades as a debt-ridden sleeping giant before they toppled Paris St Germain at the Club World Cup to cap a resurrection tale three years in the making. When American entrepreneur John Textor acquired the club in 2022, fresh from their promotion back to Brazil's first division, he took on a training ground so decrepit that then-coach Luis Castro dismissed it as "good for parking cars," alongside crushing liabilities exceeding one billion reais ($181.39 million). Botafogo were a storied but shattered institution. The club that once nurtured Brazilian greats - Garrincha, Zagallo, Jairzinho and Nilton Santos, architects of three World Cup triumphs - was drowning in debt, having endured the humiliation of relegation three times in just over a decade. On Thursday, they outplayed European champions Paris St Germain to win 1-0 in the Club World Cup's most eye-catching upset, propelling themselves to the top of the tournament's "group of death" and on the verge of the knockout stage. Their squad, assembled through shrewd bargain-hunting in football's forgotten corners, now faces Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid in Los Angeles on Monday, sitting comfortably, knowing even a two-goal defeat would still secure their passage to the round of 16. The victory over PSG vindicated Textor's vision, outlined in a Reuters interview three years prior, of "beating the system" through astute scouting in under-explored talent pools. The architects of Thursday's victory exemplified this approach. Match-winner Igor Jesus arrived as a free agent after three anonymous years in the UAE and was transformed into a Brazil international. Argentine defender Alexander Barboza, who neutralised PSG's vaunted attack, was plucked from Paraguay's Club Libertad for nothing. Captain Marlon Freitas came from second-division Atletico Goianiense, while experienced European campaigners Alex Telles and Allan were revitalised after spells in Middle Eastern leagues. Gregore, Jefferson Savarino, John and Cuiabano were all signed for under two million euros ($2.30 million) each. "The goal is to be sustainably competitive every year," Botafogo CEO Thairo Arruda told Reuters. "With a top six payroll, we produce like a top three." The transformation extends far beyond the pitch. Revenues have soared from 140 million reais in 2022 to projected earnings exceeding 1.1 billion by 2025, while liabilities have been slashed by 40%. Textor's Eagle Football empire also encompasses stakes in Ligue 1's Olympique Lyonnais and Premier League Crystal Palace. Botafogo's renaissance - crowned by last year's domestic and continental double - has breathed new life into a club motto once heavy with self-pity: "There are things that only happen to Botafogo." After outclassing Europe's elite, those words now carry an altogether sweeter resonance. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
4 hours ago
- Straits Times
Real coach Alonso backs Ruediger after he suffered alleged racist abuse
Jun 22, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Real Madrid C.F. defender Antonio Ruediger (22) and head coach Xabi Alonso react after the game during a group stage match of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images REUTERS CHARLOTTE, North Carolina - Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said he believed Antonio Ruediger when the player told him he was a victim of racist abuse during their 3-1 win against Mexican side Pachuca at the Club World Cup on Sunday. Referee Ramon Abatti crossed his forearms in front of his chest, which signals the activation of the anti-racism protocol, five minutes into stoppage time after a brief scuffle erupted following an apparent foul on Germany international Ruediger. Asked if Ruediger had been the victim of racism during the game, Alonso told a press conference: "That's what Ruediger said, and we believe him. "It is important to have zero tolerance in these kinds of situations. FIFA now is investigating. That's all I can say." It was not immediately clear whether the alleged abuse came from the crowd or an opponent. Soccer's governing body FIFA was not immediately in a position to clarify the incident when contacted by Reuters. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
