Golden Knights prospect named to US Olympic hockey team
Golden Knights prospect Brendan Brisson was named Thursday to the U.S. men’s hockey team for the Winter Olympics next month in Beijing.
The NHL announced Dec. 22 that its players will not participate in the Olympics, paving the way for college players and European-based and other professionals to represent the U.S. from Feb. 3 to 20.
Brisson, a sophomore forward at No. 4 Michigan, ranks fifth in the nation with 14 goals and has 27 points in 23 games. He was named the Big Ten’s second star for last week after posting five points in a two-game sweep of No. 10 Massachusetts.
The Knights selected Brisson in the first round (No. 29 overall) of the 2020 draft, and he’s become known for his heavy one-timer. As a freshman, Brisson produced a team-high 10 goals in 24 games for the Wolverines.
Brisson is joined on the U.S. team by Michigan sophomore forward Matty Beniers, the No. 2 pick in the draft last summer by Seattle. The Canadian Olympic team could also feature Kent Johnson and Owen Power, Brisson’s teammates at Michigan.
“I have a good group of guys I skate and work out with in the summer, and being surrounded by pros really helps your game mentally and physically,” Brisson said in November.
Brisson was a member of Team USA that won a gold medal at the 2021 World Junior Championship. He is one of 15 current NCAA players on the U.S. Olympic roster.
“We feel very confident in the group that we’ve chosen. We feel confident in the depth of the USA hockey pool,” U.S. coach David Quinn said during an interview on “The Point” on ESPN2. “We’re excited about the mix. I think we’ve got a great mix of youth and experience.”
Contact David Schoen at dschoen@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5203. Follow @DavidSchoenLVRJ on Twitter.
