Team USA represents the future of American hockey
By Matt Morrow
This year’s Team USA Men’s Hockey Team is unique. Rather than having current NHL players on the roster, they instead have future NHL players on the roster.
The youngest four players on this years Olympic team, surrounded by NHL alumni and professional overseas players, represent the future of hockey in America.
Will Borgen, 21, was drafted in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft and currently plays hockey for St. Cloud State University. The 6-foot-2 defenseman was named to the NCHC All-Rookie team as a freshman in 2016, and was named to the NCHC All-Academic team in 2017. As a freshman, Borgen helped his team claim the NCHC Championship.
Ryan Donato, the son of NHL veteran Ted Donato, is also 21 years old. The 6-foot-1 forward was drafted in the second round of the 2014 draft by the Boston Bruins. As if being drafted by the Bruins isn’t enough, he Massachusetts native also plays college hockey for Harvard, where he is in his third season.
Donato was teammates with Borgen on both the 2016 U.S. World Junior team and the Omaha Lancers in 2014-15. Look for that chemistry to carry over into the Olympics. Donato also played on the South Shore Kings of the USPHL, where he scored 10 points in 13 games. Furthermore, Donato was a member of the U.S. National U18 team in both 2013-14 and 2014-15, where he played in four games each year.
The tallest (6-foot-6) and heaviest (227 pounds) player on this roster is Jordan Greenway. He also happens to be the first African American to play in the Olympics for Team USA Hockey. Born Feb. 16, 1997, Greenway is a mere 20 years old. Greenway was drafted in the 2015 second round by the Minnesota Wild, and is currently in his third season playing for Boston University.
The bulk of the forwards hockey career has been played for various USA hockey teams. In the 2013-14 season, Greenway was a member of the U.S. National U17 Team. He helped lead this team to winning the U17 Four Nations Tournament in 2013. In 2014, this same team won both the World U17 Hockey Challenge and the U17 Five Nations Tournament. In 2014, he also participated in the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game.
Last but not least, Troy Terry, 20, may be the most exciting player on this year’s roster. The 6-foot-0 forward was drafted in the fifth round of the 2015 NHL Draft by the Anaheim Ducks.
Terry currently plays for the University of Denver where he has had a very successful career. As a freshman, he helped lead his team to a NCAA Frozen Four appearance. As a sophomore, he helped them win the National Championship. Furthermore, as a sophomore, he received All-NCHC Honorable Mention Honors, was named to the All-Frozen Four team, and lead the team in points with 46. As a Junior, he lead the team in points again.
In 2014, he participated in the CCM/USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game, while also playing for the USA National Team Development Program.
Next: Never forget the Ralph Lauren 2014 Winter Olympics Team USA sweaters
Terry’s most famous moment in a USA sweater came in the 2017 World Junior Championship, where he went 4-4 in the shootout in the final two games of the tournament against Russia and Canada to help the U.S. win the Gold. This included three straight in the semifinal game against Russia, and then the game winner against Canada.