USA Hockey announced the first 23 players of its 2018 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team Monday and they will be led by a former Buffalo Sabres captain.
It was announced that Brian Gionta, a native of Rochester, will serve as team captain of the 2018 Olympic team.
Gionta has played in over 1,000 regular season games and helped the New Jersey Devils win the Stanley Cup in 2003. He also played for Team USA in the 2006 Olympic Winter Games and most recently played for the Buffalo Sabres.
Gionta is the only Olympian on the roster, but 21 other players have participated in international games.
The 2018 Olympics will take place in early February in South Korea. The U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team will have their first game on Valentine's Day when when they face Slovenia in its first preliminary round game.
