Auston Matthews has been named the captain of the United States men's hockey team for the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, the team announced on Sunday.
Charlie McAvoy and Matthew Tkachuk will serve as alternates. Matthews also captained the U.S. for the 4 Nations Face-Off.
The 28-year-old has scored 48 points (26 goals, 22 assists) in 51 games for the Toronto Maple Leafs this season.
Team USA had their first practice of the Games on Sunday and are set to take on Latvia in their first game on Feb. 12 at 3:10 p.m. ET / 12:10 p.m. PT.
Meanwhile Sweden, Finland and Czechia have also named their Olympic men's hockey captains with Sweden tapping a familiar and decorated trio to guide the charge.
Gabriel Landeskog will wear the ‘C’ for Sweden, supported by alternate captains Victor Hedman and Erik Karlsson on the blue line.
Landeskog will make his return to the international stage — his first appearance in Swedish colours since the 2019 IIHF Men’s World Championship.
The 32-year-old was a part of Sweden’s silver-medal run at the Olympic Games in 2014 and helped capture gold at the 2013 and 2017 world championship.
Hedman and Karlsson both represented Sweden at the 4 Nations Face-Off last February. Sweden finished third in the tournament, with Karlsson playing a key offensive role from the back end. The veteran defenceman tied Lucas Raymond for the team lead in scoring, posting three points in three games.
Team Finland has named Mikael Granlund as captain with Sebastian Aho and Mikko Rantanen listed as alternate captains.
The three Finnish players who will bear letters at this tournament all served as alternate captains at the 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025. Aleksander Barkov, who will not compete at Milano Cortina 2026 because of an injury, wore the 'C' last year.
Granlund made his Olympic debut at Sochi 2014 where he earned bronze and scored three goals and added four assists in seven games. At the 4 Nations Face-Off he had three goals and an assist over three games.
Aho and Rantanen are first-time Olympians at these Games.
Czechia will go with Roman Cervenka as captain with David Pastrnak and Radko Gudas serving as assistants, the team announced.
Cervenka, 40, gets set to play in his fifth Olympic tournament. He signed with the Calgary Flames as an undrafted free agent from the KHL back in 2012 but only played one season with the club.
Cervenka was instrumental in helping his country win gold at the 2024 World Championship. In 40 games this season with HC Dynamo Pardubice he has 56 points.
Both Pastrnak and Gudas helped Czechia capture gold at the 2024 world championship. Czechia was not among the teams that played at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
