USA Hockey revealed its Olympic and Paralympic jerseys for the 2026 Winter Games in Milan-Cortina on Wednesday, chasing glory with a look inspired by a team that won the gold medal.
Their look honors that of the 1960 U.S. Olympic men's hockey team, which captured the first gold medal in the sport for the Americans in Squaw Valley, California.
The NHL is returning to the Olympics for the first time since the 2014 Sochi Games. After February's 4 Nations Face-Off classics between the USA and Canada, anticipation is high for another battle between these rival neighbors in Italy.
Perhaps it's coincidental, but the last time a U.S. men's team defeated Canada in a "best-on-best" Olympic tournament, the players were also wearing jerseys inspired by the 1960 gold medal team. That was back in the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver during group play, when the Americans won 5-3. In fact, that was the first time the U.S. had beaten Canada in the Olympics since 1960.
Please note that the Americans were not wearing 1960 throwback jerseys in their gold medal game loss to Sidney Crosby and Canada in 2010, nor in their semifinal defeat to the Canadians in Sochi four years later.
The 2026 jerseys, available in white and royal blue, were designed by Nike and incorporate Nike Swift technology, which is meant to reduce fabric weight and be more aerodynamic. The neckline includes a silicone triangle that USA Hockey said is a visual design element favored by Nike but doesn't serve a functional purpose.
The jerseys feature diagonal "USA" lettering across the chest -- reminiscent of the New York Rangers -- with a gold-accented USA Hockey crest near the shoulder. USA Hockey said the patch is "a nod to Team USA's success on the world stage."
Notably, it didn't say "Olympic stage," where the men haven't won gold since the Miracle on Ice in 1980 and the women have won gold twice since the sport was added to the Olympics in 1998 while Canada has won five golds in that span. However, Team USA has been crushing it at the IIHF world championships and world juniors in recent years.
Inside the collar are the words "Land of the free, home of the brave," an Easter egg that was also part of the 2014 Sochi jerseys.