Why Cole Caufield didn't make U.S. Olympic hockey roster

Cole Caufield has put together one of the best offensive seasons of any player in the U.S. player pool.

But the Montreal Canadiens star won't be going to the Olympics.

The United States unveiled its roster on Friday morning, and Caufield wasn't on it.

Hockey fans were shocked.

Well, that sucks. Team USA is gonna get absolutely annihilated. No Jason Robertson, no Cole Caufield??? BROCK NELSON??? Awesome, thanks guys. Guess there's always another Olympics four years from now. 🤦🏻‍♂️

Is there even any way to explain this?

This is the best we've got.

Why didn't Cole Caufield make the U.S. Olympic hockey roster?

It appears the United States prioritized veteran experience and grit over skill.

It's the best anyone could fathom for why Jason Robertson, the top scorer in the player pool, is being left home.

It extends to the 25-year old Caufield, a rising star whose game is more based in skill than strength.

The pushback on social media on Friday morning suggests that the U.S. made the wrong call here. It's certainly easy to make the case that Caufield should be on the team.

Team USA made multiple decisions prioritizing other skills to the ones that Robertson and Caufield bring to the ice. We'll see if it comes back to bite them.

MORE: How Jason Robertson getting left off U.S. roster is a massive mistake