Olympics: US submits names of Kane, Jones and Matthews

Patrick Kane, Auston Matthews and Seth Jones are the first three players to be named to the United States men’s hockey team for the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

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The full list of the 25 chosen players is expected to be revealed in January. The Americans will kick off their tournament against China on February 10.

OLYMPICS: Canada | Sweden | Finland | Czech Republic

“It’s no secret that we believe in our team for the 2022 Games,” said training general manager Stan Bowman, who occupies the same role with the Chicago Blackhawks. “Patrick, Auston and Seth represent the quality of the level of talent that will end up in our final lineup as we want to bring gold on American soil. “

Kane, a 32-year-old Blackhawks forward, is the 13th player to be selected to three Olympic teams. The three-time Stanley Cup champion (2010, 2013, 2015) is entering his 15th NHL season, all played with Chicago. He helped the United States win silver at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and 2014 Sochi Games. He was also captain of the team that finished third at the 2018 FIHG World Championships.

The first overall pick in the 2007 NHL Draft, Kane won the Calder Trophy (2008) as NHL Rookie of the Year and the Conn-Smythe Trophy (2013) as his team’s most valuable player in the playoffs Stanley Cup playoffs. In 2016, he captured the Hart Trophy, as his team’s MVP of the season, as well as the scoring championship after leading the NHL with 106 points.

Matthews, a 24-year-old center with the Toronto Maple Leafs, will compete in his first Olympics. He played for Team North America at the World Cup of Hockey in 2016. He finished first in NHL scorers last year with 41 goals and won the Calder Trophy in 2017. First pick of the 2016 Draft, he is a goal of the 200 mark in the League.

Jones, a 27-year-old defenseman who also plays for Chicago, will also make his first Olympic appearance. He has represented the United States on five occasions, most recently in 2015 when he led the country to a third place at the World Championship, and he played for the team that won the World Junior Championship in 2013. He was traded to the Blackhawks by the Columbus Blue Jackets on July 23 and signed an eight-year contract worth $ 76 million seven days later.

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