Citing security concerns related to the war in Ukraine, Russia is frozen out of international ice hockey and that includes the upcoming winter Olympics in Italy.
That coupled with the return of NHL players to the games for the first time in 12 years means one thing for the Americans:
“This is the best opportunity I think the U.S. has had to win a gold medal,” said Jeremy Roenick.
Roenick is a Hockey Hall of Fame member and Olympic silver medalist who says the Four Nations face-off earlier this year between Canada, Finland, Sweden, and the United States has fans primed for the greatest show on ice.
“What happened with the four nations opened up everyone’s eyes to international hockey, so their is going to be millions of more watchers this year for the gold than ever before,” said Roenick.
Team USA has not won a gold medal in hockey since the famed “miracle on ice” team upset the Soviet Union and Finland at the 1980 games in Lake Placid.
READ MORE:NHL legend Jeremy Roenick says hockey at Milan Cortina Olympics will have highest TV ratings ever
