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There was some suspense surrounding the United States goalie starting role at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
In the end, the most straightforward choice was the one made: Connor Hellebuyck will start the opener on Thursday against Latvia.
The Winnipeg Jets' netminder was the Team USA starter at the 4 Nations Face-Off, and now he'll start in Milan.
Jake Oettinger and Jeremy Swayman are also in the picture, but they miss out on the initial nod.
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Why is Connor Hellebuyck starting goalie for Team USA?
In the end, this came down to much more than just this season in the NHL, where Hellebuyck has struggled a bit more than usual.
In the big picture, Hellebuyck is one of the best goalies on the planet.
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He is a Vezina winner, and he already has the international experience of the 4 Nations Face-Off.
At the 4 Nations Faceoff, Hellebuyck played in three games for the United States, going 2-1. He had a 93.2 save percentage and a 1.59 goals against average.
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To win a tournament of this magnitude, a team needs a goaltender to get hot. Slovakia already pulled a major upset on the opening day because its goalie from the AHL could hardly be beaten.
The United States could still make a switch if Hellebuyck struggles. But based on the whole body of work, Hellebuyck has the largest upset in net for the U.S. if he can get on a roll, and he'll try to get that going Thursday.
More Olympics news:
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- The Winter Olympics mascots are adorable
- Mike Tirico had a crazy flight to get from the Super Bowl to the Olympics
- This USA curling star looks like Pommel Horse Guy
- 5 U.S. women's hockey stars attended the same high school
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