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Aston Villa is one game away from ending a 30-year trophy drought!
The USA will defend its men's hockey world championship title with a significantly different team, featuring only two returning players. Matthew Tkachuk, a two-time Stanley Cup winner, is the notable exception on the roster.
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USA to defend world championships gold medal with vastly different team
The United States will enter this year's men's hockey world championships in an unusual position: defending champion.
Team USA won a gold medal at the International Ice Hockey Federation tournament last spring for the first time since 1933.
This year's team has only two returnees and will be less star-studded than the 2025 one The big exception is Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk, a two-time Stanley Cup winner and U.S. Olympian.
Some of the players from last year aren't available because they were or are in the playoffs, such as Tage Thompson, Clayton Keller, Jackson Lacombe, Cutter Gauthier and Jeremy Swayman. Plus, there's no Olympics as an incentive to suit up.
Here is the Team USA roster and some takeaways:
The NHL is announcing the finalists for the Hart Trophy and the other major awards. Here's who is in the running (listed alphabetically):
Team USA has only two returning players from the previous championship team.
Matthew Tkachuk, a two-time Stanley Cup winner and U.S. Olympian, is the standout player on the roster.
Team USA won the gold medal at the men's hockey world championships for the first time since 1933 last spring.
This year's team is less star-studded and has only two players returning from the previous championship-winning squad.

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Jack Adams Award (coach) finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning's Jon Cooper
Jack Adams finalist: Pittsburgh Penguins' Dan Muse
Jack Adams finalist: Buffalo Sabres' Lindy Ruff
Vezina Trophy (goaltender) New York Islanders' Ilya Sorokin
Vezina finalist: Boston Bruins' Jeremy Swayman
Vezina finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy
Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanship) finalist: Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield
Lady Byng finalist: Los Angeles Kings' Anze Kopitar.
Lady Byng finalist: Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson
Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player) finalist: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini
Ted Lindsay finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov
Ted Lindsay finalist: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid
Masterton Trophy (perseverance) nominee: Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ville Husso
Masterton nominee: Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy
Masterton nominee: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin
Masterton nominee: Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley
Masterton nominee: Carolina Hurricanes left wing Taylor Hall
Masterton nominee: Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight
Masterton nominee: Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog
Masterton nominee: Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner
Masterton nominee: Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn
Masterton nominee: Detroit Red Wings right wing Dominik Shine
Masterton nominee: Edmonton Oilers goalie Connor Ingram
Masterton nominee: Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand
Masterton nominee: Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar
Masterton nominee: Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt
Masterton nominee: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson
Masterton nominee: Nashville Predators right wing Ozzy Wiesblatt
Masterton nominee: New Jersey Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon
Masterton nominee: New York Islanders center Kyle Palmieri
Masterton nominee: New York Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson
Masterton nominee: Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark
Masterton nominee: Philadelphia Flyers left wing Garrett Wilson
Masterton nominee: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Anthony Mantha
Masterton nominee: St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington
Masterton nominee: San Jose Sharks goalie Laurent Brossoit
Masterton nominee: Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle
Masterton nominee: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh
Masterton nominee: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson
Masterton nominee: Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller
Masterton nominee: Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen
Masterton nominee: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Akira Schmid
Masterton nominee: Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin
Masterton nominee: Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews
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The NHL is announcing the finalists for the Hart Trophy and the other major awards. Here's who is in the running (listed alphabetically):
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The NHL is announcing the finalists for the Hart Trophy and the other major awards. Here's who is in the running (listed alphabetically):
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Jack Adams Award (coach) finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning's Jon Cooper
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Jack Adams finalist: Pittsburgh Penguins' Dan Muse
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Jack Adams finalist: Buffalo Sabres' Lindy Ruff
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Vezina Trophy (goaltender) New York Islanders' Ilya Sorokin
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Vezina finalist: Boston Bruins' Jeremy Swayman
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Vezina finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning's Andrei Vasilevskiy
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Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanship) finalist: Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield
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Lady Byng finalist: Los Angeles Kings' Anze Kopitar.
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Lady Byng finalist: Ottawa Senators defenseman Jake Sanderson
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Ted Lindsay Award (most outstanding player) finalist: San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini
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Ted Lindsay finalist: Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov
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Ted Lindsay finalist: Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid
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Masterton Trophy (perseverance) nominee: Anaheim Ducks goaltender Ville Husso
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Masterton nominee: Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy
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Masterton nominee: Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin
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Masterton nominee: Calgary Flames goaltender Devin Cooley
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Masterton nominee: Carolina Hurricanes left wing Taylor Hall
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Masterton nominee: Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Spencer Knight
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Masterton nominee: Colorado Avalanche left wing Gabriel Landeskog
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Masterton nominee: Columbus Blue Jackets center Boone Jenner
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Masterton nominee: Dallas Stars left wing Jamie Benn
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Masterton nominee: Detroit Red Wings right wing Dominik Shine
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Masterton nominee: Edmonton Oilers goalie Connor Ingram
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Masterton nominee: Florida Panthers left wing Brad Marchand
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Masterton nominee: Los Angeles Kings center Anze Kopitar
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Masterton nominee: Minnesota Wild goaltender Jesper Wallstedt
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Masterton nominee: Montreal Canadiens defenseman Mike Matheson
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Masterton nominee: Nashville Predators right wing Ozzy Wiesblatt
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Masterton nominee: New Jersey Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon
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Masterton nominee: New York Islanders center Kyle Palmieri
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Masterton nominee: New York Rangers defenseman Matthew Robertson
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Masterton nominee: Ottawa Senators goalie Linus Ullmark
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Masterton nominee: Philadelphia Flyers left wing Garrett Wilson
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Masterton nominee: Pittsburgh Penguins right wing Anthony Mantha
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Masterton nominee: St. Louis Blues goaltender Jordan Binnington
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Masterton nominee: San Jose Sharks goalie Laurent Brossoit
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Masterton nominee: Seattle Kraken right wing Jordan Eberle
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Masterton nominee: Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Darren Raddysh
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Masterton nominee: Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson
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Masterton nominee: Utah Mammoth right wing Clayton Keller
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Masterton nominee: Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen
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Masterton nominee: Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Akira Schmid
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Masterton nominee: Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin
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Masterton nominee: Winnipeg Jets center Jonathan Toews
Goaltenders
Defensemen
Forwards
The tournament will be held from May 15 to 31 in Fribourg and Zurich, Switzerland.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA world championships team has different look as it defends gold