The 2026 Olympic hockey tournament features one of the best Team USA sides in history. The sheer star power, offensive clout, and defensive superiority give this American side a solid opportunity to win gold.
But there’s one “good” problem Team USA will have to deal with. That’s the glut of elite goaltenders on the roster.
The American crease starts with the best goalie in the world, Connor Hellebuyck. In any other situation, he’d be the no-brainer to play in the tourney from start to finish. But then again, the other goalies on the squad, Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman, could easily become coach Mike Sullivan’s go-to choice in Milano-Cortina.
But there’s the thing for Team USA. Hellebuyck hasn’t been 100% this season. He’s missed time with injury, including surgery. In the time he’s played, Hellebuyck has looked human. In 36 games, he’s got just 13 wins to go with a 2.79 GAA and a .900 SV%.
That said, his numbers could be more the result of a poor Winnipeg Jets team in front of him than poor performance on his end.
But when looking at how Swayman has been lights-out for the Boston Bruins this season, there might be a case for Team USA to explore giving him a shot in the tourney.
Team USA Could Do Well to Roll with Swayman
Hellebuyck was fantastic at the 4 Nations Face-Off last season. He came within inches of defeating Jordan Binnington and Team Canada in the final game. That’s the precedent that Oettinger and Swayman have to go up against.
Nevertheless, there’s a case for Swayman to see the bulk of the minutes for Team USA. Swayman has appeared in 38 games, winning 22, posting a 2.92 GAA and a .903 SV%. While the numbers aren’t THAT much better than Hellebuyck’s, the eye test shows a completely different situation.
Swayman and the Bruins are fighting for a playoff spot. The Jets are sitting at the bottom of the NHL standings. Despite the higher GAA, Swayman has kept the Bruins in games much more than Hellebuyck has.
But Team USA’s embarrassment of riches doesn’t end with Swayman and Hellebuyck.
Oettinger Could Get Some Looks Early in Tourney
Considering that the Olympics is a short tourney featuring multiple games, Sullivan might give Oettinger a start or two early in the tourney. For instance, Team USA faces a winnable opening game against Latvia on Thursday.
That game could be an opportunity for Oettinger, or Swayman for that matter, to get some reps in before the medal round. The rationale there would be that Sullivan would want to minimize the attrition on his number-one goalie.
But if Oettinger runs away with the job, he could very well unseat Hellebuyck. That’s a nice problem for the Americans to have.
Ultimately, Team USA will roll with the hot hand. In short tournaments like the Olympics, whoever is playing best gets the call. Unless one of the three American goalies has a disastrous showing, the one who shows to be “locked in” could emerge as the go-to guy as the tourney wears on.
Team USA Dealing with Good Problem at 2026 Olympics