The announcements of the rosters for the 2018 U.S. Olympic Men’s and Women’s Ice Hockey Teams and 2018 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team were made during the second intermission of the NHL Winter Classic at Citi Field in New York City and live on NBC.

“We’re excited about all three of our teams and the chance to compete for gold,” said Pat Kelleher, executive director of USA Hockey. “There’s no bigger stage than the Olympics and Paralympics and I know our teams will represent our country extremely well in PyeongChang.”

THE MEN’S ROSTER

The men’s roster includes 15 players with NHL experience, led by Brian Gionta, who will serve as team captain of the 2018 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team. Gionta has played 1,006 regular-season games and captained both the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres in his career. He is the lone player on the U.S. roster with Olympic experience, having played for Team USA in 2006.

“We really like our roster,” said Jim Johannson, general manager of the 2018 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team and also the assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey. “It’s a group that brings versatility and experience and includes players who have a lot of passion about representing our country.”

Johannson noted that two goaltenders will be added by mid-January to fill the 25-man roster.

While Gionta is the only Olympian on the roster, 21 other players have donned the U.S. jersey in international competition and captured 13 total medals.

Team USA’s forward lineup is highlighted by three of the top point getters in the National League in Switzerland, including Marc Arcobello (SC Bern), who leads the league with 39 points (13-26) in 33 games played. Broc Little (HC Davos) and Garrett Roe (EV Zug) are tied for third with 31 points each. The U.S. offense will also feature the talents of Chris Bourque (Hershey), who leads the AHL with 39 points (11-28) in 34 games played for the Hershey Bears and Harvard University’s Ryan Donato (Harvard University), who is fourth in NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey in points per game (1.45).

Matt Gilroy (Jokerit), who played 225 games in the NHL and won the 2009 Hobey Baker Memorial Award as the top player in NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey, will anchor the blueline. He is tied for sixth in points among defenseman in the Kontinental Hockey League with 25 (6-19) in 44 games with Jokerit. The U.S. will also rely on the talents of Ryan Gunderson (Brynas IF), who leads all Swedish Hockey League defensemen with 25 points (4-21) in 31 games played and James Wisniewski (Kassel), who currently tops all blueliners in the DEL2 with 36 points playing for Kassel. Wisniewski, who has played 552 regular-season NHL games, helped the U.S. win its first-ever gold medal in the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2004.

In goal, Ryan Zapolski (Mercyhurst University), who is one of three players from the Jokerit named to Team USA, is fifth in the league with a 1.68 goals against average. He is 21-8-3 on the season with a 93.5 save percentage.

The 2018 Olympic Winter Games will take place Feb. 9-25 in PyeongChang, South Korea. The U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team opens play on Feb. 14 when it faces Slovenia in its first preliminary round game.

THE WOMEN’S ROSTER

The women’s roster features 23 players, including 10 returning Olympians and six two-time Olympians (2010, 2014) in Kacey Bellamy, captain Meghan Duggan, Hilary Knight, Jocelyne Lamoureux-Davidson, Monique Lamoureux-Morando and Gigi Marvin; and four that made their Olympic debut in Sochi – Coyne, Decker, Amanda Kessel and Lee Stecklein. Eight players in total have played more than 100 international games apiece wearing the USA sweater, including Bellamy (133), Coyne (115), Decker (110), Duggan (130), Knight (150), Lamoureux-Davidson (125), Lamoureux-Morando (122) and Marvin (115).

“Today we took another step toward achieving our ultimate goal, which is to bring home a gold medal from South Korea,” said Reagan Carey, general manager of the 2018 U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team and also the director of women’s hockey for USA Hockey, “We’ve had an exceptional four months in Wesley Chapel, Florida, leading up to this point and are confident that these 23 women give our country the best opportunity to reach the top of the podium in February.”

“The amount of skill and depth of talent on this roster is second-to-none and I couldn’t be more excited to see what these 23 women can do on the world stage in PyeongChang,” said Stauber, “With just a month to go until the Olympics, and now with our roster set, our focus only gets sharper. We’ll be ready to go.”

All 23 players on the roster have a collegiate hockey background, representing a total of nine NCAA schools. The University of Minnesota of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association leads the way with six representatives, followed by Boston College of the Hockey East Association (five) and the University of Wisconsin of the WCHA (four). The University of North Dakota and University of Minnesota Duluth (WCHA) are each represented by a pair of players, while Lindenwood University (CHA), Northeastern University (HEA), the University of New Hampshire (HEA) and the University of Vermont (HEA) have one apiece.

Fourteen of the 23 players on the final roster have been recognized as top-10 finishers for the Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award, which annually recognizes the top NCAA Division I women’s college hockey player, and four have taken the trophy – Coyne (2016), Kessel (2013), Decker (2012), Duggan (2011).

With 18 post-graduate players and five collegiate players, the roster also features younger players in the prime of their collegiate career putting eligibility on hold to pursue their Olympic dream. Among them are Boston College players Cayla Barnes, Kali Flanagan and Megan Keller; the University of Minnesota’s Kelly Pannek; and the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Maddie Rooney.

During the 2016-17 season, 14 players on the U.S. roster were playing professionally in the United States, nine in the National Women’s Hockey League and five with the Minnesota Whitecaps. Sidney Morin played a portion of the 2017-18 season with MODO Hockey of the Swedish Women’s Hockey League before joining the U.S. Olympic evaluation process.

The 2018 Olympic Winter Games will take place Feb. 9-25 in PyeongChang, South Korea. The U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team will begin its quest for a gold medal on Feb. 11 when it faces Finland in its opening game of preliminary round play.

THE SLED ROSTER

The 17-player sled roster includes nine players with Paralympic experience, led by captain Josh Pauls, alternate captains Declan Farmer and Nikko Landeros and goaltender Steve Cash. All four were members of the gold medal-winning 2014 Paralympic Sled Hockey Team.

“As a whole, this team has all the ingredients to be successful,” said Dan Brennan, director of sled hockey for USA Hockey and general manager of the 2018 U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey Team. “We’re going to be a fast-paced, puck-moving team that is led by a great core of veterans who knows what it takes to win.”

The U.S. has medaled in four of the five Paralympic Winters Games it has competed in, with gold medals in 2014, 2010, and 2002 and a bronze medal in 2006.

The 2018 Paralympic Winter Games begin March 9 in PyeongChang, South Korea.