The men’s hockey playoffs are officially underway at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, with the quarterfinal qualifiers beginning on Tuesday morning. The entirety of the playoffs is a four-round affair, with the gold medal game set for Sunday, Feb. 22, at 8:10 a.m. ET from Milano Santagiulia Arena.
For Team USA specifically, they finished Group Play at the Games a cool 3–0 and as such, qualified for the No. 2 seed and a bye into the quarterfinals. They’ll take on the winner of Sweden vs. Latvia on Wednesday afternoon at 3:10 p.m. ET.
MORE: Updated Men’s Hockey Playoff Bracket, Team USA Schedule at 2026 Winter Olympics
Following three dominant wins over Latvia, Denmark, and Germany, the United States is primed to truly compete for a gold medal in 2026. Not only is their roster loaded with homegrown talent, but their coaching staff is littered with experience as head coach Mike Sullivan is flocked with assistants John Hynes, David Quinn, and John Tortorella.
On the topic, here’s a look back at Team USA’s hockey history at the Olympics, including their gold medal victories and how they’ve finished at each Games.
How many times has Team USA men’s hockey won the gold medal?
The United States men’s hockey team has won two gold medals at the Winter Olympics. Their first came at the 1960 Games in Squaw Valley, while the second was the famous “Miracle on Ice” team at the 1980 Games at Lake Placid.
The 1960 team went a perfect 7–0 in the tournament and was guided by coach Jack Riley and captain Jack Kirrane. The 1980 team, meanwhile, was led by coach Herb Brooks and captain Mike Eruzione—a group that stunned the hockey world by defeating the Soviet Union 4–3 in the semifinals before clinching the gold medal with a win over Finland two days later.
Team USA has also won the silver medal eight times and bronze once.
Full list of Team USA men’s hockey finishes at the Winter Olympics
Here’s a complete look at where Team USA has finished in each Winter Olympics since 1920, along with their coach, team captain, and record at each Games.
Note: Gold medal victories are in bold.
| Olympic Year, Host | Coach | Captain | Record | Finish/Medal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920, Antwerp | Cornelius Fellowes, Roy Schooley | Joe McCormick | 3–1–0 | Silver |
| 1924, Chamonix | William S. Haddock | Irving Small | 4–1–0 | Silver |
| 1928, St. Moritz | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| 1932, Lake Placid | Alfred Winsor | John Chase | 4–1–1 | Silver |
| 1936, Garmisch-Partenkirchen | Albert Prettyman | John Garrison | 5–2–1 | Bronze |
| 1948, St. Moritz | John Garrison | Goodwin Harding | 5–3–0 | 4th, DSQ |
| 1952, Oslo | Connie Pleban | Allen Van | 6–1–1 | Silver |
| 1956, Cortina d’Ampezzo | John Mariucci | Gene Campbell | 5–2–0 | Silver |
| 1960, Squaw Valley | Jack Riley | Jack Kirrane | 7–0–0 | Gold |
| 1964, Innsbruck | Eddie Jeremiah | Herb Brooks, Bill Reichart | 2–5–0 | 5th |
| 1968, Grenoble | Murray Williamson | Lou Nanne | 2–4–1 | 6th |
| 1972, Sapporo | Murray Williamson | Tim Sheehy | 4–2–0 | Silver |
| 1976, Innsbruck | Bob Johnson | John Taft | 3–3–0 | 5th |
| 1980, Lake Placid | Herb Brooks | Mike Eruzione | 6–0–1 | Gold |
| 1984, Sarajevo | Lou Vairo | Phil Verchota | 2–2–2 | 7th |
| 1988, Calgary | Dave Peterson | Brian Leetch | 3–3–0 | 7th |
| 1992, Albertville | Dave Peterson | Clark Donatelli | 5–2–1 | 4th |
| 1994, Lillehammer | Tim Taylor | Peter Laviolette | 1–4–3 | 8th |
| 1998, Nagano | Ron Wilson | Chris Chelios | 1–3–1 | 6th |
| 2002, Salt Lake City | Herb Brooks | Chris Chelios | 4–1–1 | Silver |
| 2006, Turin | Peter Laviolette | Chris Chelios | 1–4–1 | 8th |
| 2010, Vancouver | Ron Wilson | Jamie Langenbrunner | 5–1 | Silver |
| 2014, Sochi | Dan Bylsma | Zach Parise | 4–2 | 4th |
| 2018, Pyeongchang | Tony Granato | Brian Gionta | 2–3 | 7th |
| 2022, Beijing | David Quinn | Andy Miele | 3–1 | 5th |
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Team USA Men’s Hockey Olympics History: Every Finish as 2026 Squad Chases Gold.
