Stan Bowman will get a chance to assemble another hockey dream team, only this one will be decked out in red, white and blue instead of red and black — and will be chasing a gold medal instead of a Stanley Cup.
The Blackhawks president of hockey operations was named general manager of the 2022 U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team Wednesday, and the Minnesota Wild’s Bill Guerin was tapped as assistant GM.
Bowman and Guerin will have a chance to choose from a “very deep pool” of talented Americans in the NHL to compete in the Winter Games in Beijing.
“We’ve got a lot of talent, and that’s the exciting part,” Bowman said. “It’s going to be some difficult decisions.
“Once we choose the coach and have a staff in place and we can have them as part of the conversations, the identity of the team will come forward. But without question this is the deepest pool of players we’ve had, so we have a lot of options in choosing the team.”
Some names that have been tossed out as likely candidates by pundits include the Toronto Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews, the Hawks’ Patrick Kane and Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Some projected rosters have included Kane’s Hawks linemate Alex DeBrincat.
But first a hurdle: ensuring that NHL players will be available to participate in the Olympics. That has to be negotiated by the league, union, International Olympic Committee and International Ice Hockey Federation.
“The NHL continues to be in conversations,” said Pat Kelleher, executive director of USA Hockey. I won’t speak for that exactly where it is.”
If the NHL’s participation doesn’t happen, assistant executive director of hockey operations John Vanbiesbrouck would move to Plan B, which likely would involve leadership from amateur circles instead of Bowman and Guerin.
“We will have to adjust accordingly,” Vanbiesbrouck said. “As far as this type of year, we know that everything’s fluid.”
But Kelleher remained optimistic about having NHL players, saying, “We’re planning along that path.”
Bowman has been involved with the Hawks for 19 years, presided over three Stanley Cup championships and served on U.S. Men’s National Team advisory group since 2012, and he helped pick players and staff for past national teams.
Bowman co-managed Team North America at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey with Peter Chiarelli, and Bowman said he learned something about assembling players from that tournament.
He and Chiarelli were worried at the beginning that they didn’t have a goaltender with NHL experience, but by the end of the process they had three: John Gibson, Matt Murray and Hellebuyck. The U.S. had plenty of forwards to choose from, but Matthews, who had yet to play in the NHL, just popped at the IIHF World Championship in Russia.
“I’m over there and I’m watching, and Peter Chiarelli, had he called and asked how it was going, and I said, ‘You’ve got to see that kid, he’s unbelievable.’ We’re not going to be able to leave him off the team,” Bowman said. “He’s that good.’
“It just goes to show players change and more than ever it’s a young person’s game. That bodes well for the decisions we have to make.”
Guerin added that he and Bowman have discussed building profiles on potential players and staff.
“He just really believes in a collaborative model, like he said, leaning on other GMs in the league that have been here before and can help us,” said Guerin, a three-time Olympian and silver medalist at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games. “Really making it a team effort.”
Between now and when the U.S. roster is named around Jan. 1, Bowman and Guerin will be juggling their Olympic duties with their day jobs. Bowman said he has the full support from Rocky and Danny Wirtz, the chairman and CEO, respectively, of the Hawks.
“They’re totally behind this,” Bowman said. “I’m going to lean on a lot of other people, both internally here at the Blackhawks — we have a very capable staff that I’m going to certainly rely on their input — but even for the Olympic team.
“Bill and I are in prominent roles, but it’s not a two-man show.”
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