With the NHL pulling out of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, the United States men's hockey team was forced to formulate a new roster and coaching staff. With the NHL choosing to use its three-week break in February to make up postponed games from December, Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan had to step aside as the Team USA bench boss.
In his absence, David Quinn has been named the team's new head coach for the United States men's hockey team at the Beijing Olympics. In addition, the team named John Vanbiesbrouck as its general manager.
"To be named the head coach under these circumstances, it's bittersweet in some ways," Quinn told the Associated Press. "We all were hoping that the NHL guys were going to go, but to be named the head coach for the 2022 Olympic team is an incredible honor."
Quinn is the only member of the initial Team USA coaching staff that isn't currently coaching in the NHL. The 55-year old previously coached the New York Rangers over the past three seasons before being fired in May after the team missed the playoffs. Prior to his stint with the Rangers, Quinn spent five years as the head coach of the men's hockey team at Boston University.
Quinn does have coaching experience at the international level, however. He served as an assistant coach at the 2016 world championships and also coached in that tournament in 2007 and 2012.
Team USA's roster construction is going to look a bit different than initially planned with NHL players being forced to miss the Beijing Olympics. Instead of the likes of Auston Matthews and Patrick Kane, the United States men's team will consist of some of the best American-born amateur players in the world.
