Jan 03, 2026
3 min read
Utah Mammoth captain Clayton Keller has been selected as one of the 20 skaters for Team USA.
Utah Mammoths captain Clayton Keller and other players named to Team USA Olympic roster
January 2, 2026, 7:32 |Updated: 1:29 p.m
SALT LAKE CITY - Utah Mammoth captain Clayton Keller will represent the Stars and Stripes in Milan next month after the 27-year-old was selected as one of the 20 players on Team USA.
Another member of the Utah Mammoth, defenseman Oli Mata, will also be heading to the Olympics to represent his country, Finland.
The news came Thursday despite uncertainty and a year less than production, and Keller earned his place on the Olympic roster with all the work in the last 15 months.
In addition to becoming Utah's first captain, Keller finished the 2024/25 season with 60 assists (second most among all Americans in the NHL) and 90 total points (third most among all Americans).
"It means everything," Keller said of representing the USA. "This is the best feeling ever. I absolutely loved my time playing in the USA program. Can't thank them enough for everything they've done for me growing up and everything. They've shaped me into the person I am today. USA Hockey has come a long way and it's only going to get better."
While the Mammoths missed the playoffs in their first season, Keller built on strong individual performances to lead Team USA to its first gold medal in nearly a century at the World Championships.
During the tournament, Keller scored three goals and added seven assists for the United States.
"It's something I haven't done in a long time and something I'll always remember. So it was a great experience and it was great to win it," Keller told KSL Sports.
46 years removed from Team USA's last gold medal in the sport in 1980, the goal is simple: win the tournament.
According to the newly named Olympian, it could be gold or bust for the USA in Milan, depending on their talent and progress in recent years.
"Gold or bust," Keller told KSL Sports."Simple as that. With the talent we have and what we expect to go there. We expect to win. That's it."
Keller and the U.S. will open the men's tournament against Latvia on February 12.
