Chicago Blackhawks general manager Stan Bowman was named GM for the U.S. Olympic men’s ice hockey team for the 2022 Beijing Games.
Minnesota Wild general manager Bill Guerin will serve as Bowman’s assistant GM.
“The combination of a Stanley Cup-winning GM [Bowman] and a Hall of Fame player [Guerin] who has competed in the Olympics in addition to his experience as an NHL GM, is certainly something we’re excited about,” USA Hockey executive Pat Vanbiesbrouck said in a statement. “Stan and Bill bring varied experiences over their highly successful careers, but the thing that stands out to me is that they are both winners.”
NHL players are expected to return to the Olympics in 2022 after the league didn’t allow for an Olympic break in 2018. USA Hockey finished seventh in the 2018 PyeongChang Games with a roster of non-NHL players. The Americans finished fourth in Sochi in 2014, and won the silver medal in Vancouver in 2010, falling to Canada in the gold medal game.
The NHL and NHLPA agreed for Olympic participation in a new collective bargaining agreement they signed in 2020 — which was a big priority for players — however the NHL still needs to work out a deal with the International Ice Hockey Federation and the International Olympic Committee. Among the issues to sort through are insurance and travel costs.
Should NHL players participate, Team USA is expected to contend for a medal. An influx of young talent will be considered for the roster, including Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, Charlie McAvoy, Connor Hellebuyck, John Gibson, Brady and Matthew Tkachuk, Brock Boeser, Alex DeBrincat, Jack and Quinn Hughes, Jaccob Slavin, Dylan Larkin, Seth Jones and Zach Werenski. Patrick Kane, who plays for Bowman’s Blackhawks, could be one of the few players on the team with previous Olympic experience.
In February, Hockey Canada tapped St. Louis Blues GM Ken Holland to lead its 2022 Olympic team. Edmonton’s Ken Holland, Seattle’s Ron Francis, Florida’s Roberto Luongo and Boston’s Don Sweeney are also part of Canada’s management team.