Golden Knights center one of 1st players named to Team USA

Golden Knights center Jack Eichel was named one of Team USA’s first six players for next year’s 4 Nations Face-Off.

Eichel, a North Chelmsford, Massachusetts native, was selected alongside Toronto center Auston Matthews, New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox, Vancouver defenseman Quinn Hughes, Boston defenseman Charlie McAvoy and Florida right wing Matthew Tkachuk.

The 4 Nations Face-Off will be NHL players’ return to international competition and features the U.S., Canada, Sweden and Finland. The event will take place Feb. 12 to 20 at Montreal’s Bell Centre and Boston’s TD Garden.

The rest of the rosters will be announced later this year.

“It’s an amazing event for our league,” Eichel said in a video statement posted on the Knights’ X account. “It’s such an honor to have an opportunity to wear the red, white and blue. It’s been a while for me, so really looking forward to it.”

This will be Eichel’s first time wearing the Team USA jersey since he took part in the 2019 World Championship. He also participated in 2017 and won the bronze medal in 2015, the year he was drafted second overall by the Buffalo Sabres.

Eichel scored 68 points in 63 games last season.

He led the NHL in scoring during the 2023 playoffs with 26 points and helped the Knights win their first Stanley Cup.

The 4 Nations Face-Off is a precursor to the league returning to Olympic play. NHL players hope to participate in the 2026 Winter Games in Italy. They haven’t skated in the Olympics since 2014 in Sochi.

The 4 Nations Face-Off will replace the NHL All-Star Game next season.

Eichel likely won’t be the only Knights player participating.

Defenseman Noah Hanifin is another candidate to play on Team USA. Captain Mark Stone, right wing Jonathan Marchessault and defensemen Alex Pietrangelo and Shea Theodore could be options for Team Canada. Pietrangelo, a King City, Ontario native, was part of his country’s gold-medal winning roster at the 2014 Olympics.

Center William Karlsson could also get the call from Team Sweden. He has not played internationally since the 2017 World Championship.

Cancer survior honored

The Knights welcomed an important guest to the stage Friday at the NHL draft.

The league honored 9-year-old Izzy Woodward, who is now cancer free after suffering from neuroblastoma.

Izzy was presented with a jersey with the name “Princess Warrior” on the back onstage before the draft by general manager Kelly McCrimmon, president of hockey operations George McPhee and defenseman Nic Hague.

Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.