United States national men's ice hockey team

The U.S. national ice hockey team is the national team for the United States, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The team is controlled by USA Hockey. As of 2008, the US team was ranked 6th in the IIHF World Rankings [ [http://www.iihf.com/channels/iihf-world-championship/home/world-ranking.html World Ranking ] ] . The United States won the silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics, and the gold medal at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. Their most recent medal at the World Championships came in 2004 with a bronze and they won the tournament in 1960 and 1933. At the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, the U.S. was unable to defend its title, losing to Finland in the semi-finals. Most recently, the team finished sixth in the 2008 IIHF World Championship. Their current head coach is John Tortorella. As of 2007, the United States has a total of 457,038 registered ice hockey players (0.16% of its population). [http://www.usahockey.com/uploadedFiles/USAHockey/Menu_About_USA_Hockey/AnnualGuide0708(6).pdf]

Team USA's greatest success was the "Miracle on Ice" at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, when they defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union on the way to a gold medal. Though hockey is not a universally popular sport in the United States, the "Miracle" is often listed as one of the greatest achievements in the history of American sports.

U.S. hockey had a spike in talent in the 1990s with top NHL stars like Brett Hull, Jeremy Roenick, Mike Richter Brian Leetch, and Mike Modano and as a result, the team won the 1996 World Cup and earned a silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics. But by 2006, many of these All-Stars had retired or lost their skill with age. Though the 2006 Olympic Team finished a disappointing 8th place, it was more of a transitional team, featuring young NHL players like Rick DiPietro, Jordan Leopold and John-Michael Liles, and other young talents like Patrick Kane, Dustin Brown, Phil Kessel, and Ryan Miller already have hockey analysts listing the United States as a potential medal contender for 2010.

2008 World Championship roster

The following players were most recently named to represent the United States at the 2008 IIHF World Championship, finishing in 6th place after a loss to Finland in the quarterfinal round:;Goaltenders
*Craig Anderson
*Robert Esche
*Tim Thomas (left team due to injury)

;Defensemen
*Keith Ballard
*Tom Gilbert
*Tim Gleason
*Matt Greene
*Jordan Leopold (injury replacement)
*Paul Martin
*Mark Stuart- A
*James Wisniewski;Forwards
*David Backes
*David Booth
*Dustin Brown
*Adam Burish
*Brandon Dubinsky (injury replacement)
*Jeff Halpern- C (left team due to injury)
*Patrick Kane
*Phil Kessel
*Peter Mueller
*Patrick O'Sullivan
*Zach Parise- A
*Jason Pominville
*Drew Stafford
*Lee Stempniak

;National Team Advisory Group
*Brian Burke
*David Poile
*Ray Shero
*Don Waddell;Coaching Staff
*Head Coach John Tortorella
*Assistant Mike Sullivan
*Assistant Kurt Kleinendorst;Director of Operations
*Jim Johannson

2006 Olympic team

;Goaltenders
*Rick DiPietro
*Robert Esche
*John Grahame;Defensemen
*Chris Chelios - C
*Derian Hatcher
*Bret Hedican
*Jordan Leopold
*John-Michael Liles
*Aaron Miller
*Brian Rafalski
*Mathieu Schneider - A

;Forwards
*Jason Blake
*Erik Cole
*Craig Conroy
*Chris Drury
*Brian Gionta
*Scott Gomez
*Bill Guerin
*Mike Knuble
*Mike Modano - A
*Mark Parrish
*Brian Rolston
*Keith Tkachuk - A
*Doug Weight;Reserves
*Matt Cullen
*Paul Martin
*Ryan Miller

Olympic record

* 1920 - Silver medal winner
* 1924 - Silver medal winner
* 1928 - Did not participate
* 1932 - Silver medal winner
* 1936 - Bronze medal winner
* 1948 - Finished in 4th place
* 1952 - Silver medal winner
* 1956 - Silver medal winner
* 1960 - Gold medal winner
* 1964 - Finished in 5th place
* 1968 - Finished in 6th place
* 1972 - Silver medal winner
* 1976 - Finished in 5th place
* 1980 - Gold medal winner
* 1984 - Finished in 7th place
* 1988 - Finished in 7th place
* 1992 - Finished in 4th place
* 1994 - Finished in 8th place
* 1998 - Finished in 6th place
* 2002 - Silver medal winner
* 2006 - Finished in 8th place

Canada Cup record

*1976 - Finished in 5th place
*1981 - Finished in 4th place, lost semi-final
*1984 - Finished in 2nd place, lost semi-final
*1987 - Finished in 5th place
*1991 - Finished in 2nd place, lost final

World Cup record

*1996 - Won World Cup
*2004 - Lost semi-final

World Championship record

*1930 - Did not participate
*1931 - Won silver medal
*1933 - Won gold medal
*1934 - Won silver medal
*1935-1937 - Did not participate
*1938 - Finished in 7th place
*1939 - Won silver medal
*1947 - Finished in 5th place
*1949 - Won bronze medal
*1950 - Won silver medal
*1951 - Finished in 6th place
*1953-1954 - Did not participate
*1955 - Finished in 4th place
*1957 - Did not participate
*1958 - Finished in 5th place
*1959 - Finished in 4th place
*1960 - Won gold medal
*1961 - Finished in 6th place
*1962 - Won bronze medal
*1963 - Finished in 8th place
*1965 - Finished in 6th place
*1966 - Finished in 6th place
*1967 - Finished in 5th place
*1969 - Finished in 6th place
*1970 - Finished in 7th place (Won "Pool B")
*1971 - Finished in 6th place
*1972 - Finished in 8th place (2nd in "Pool B")
*1973 - Finished in 8th place (2nd in "Pool B")
*1974 - Finished in 7th place (Won "Pool B")
*1975 - Finished in 6th place
*1976 - Finished in 4th place
*1977 - Finished in 6th place
*1978 - Finished in 6th place
*1979 - Finished in 7th place
*1981 - Finished in 5th place
*1982 - Finished in 8th place
*1983 - Finished in 9th place (Won "Pool B")
*1985 - Finished in 4th place
*1986 - Finished in 6th place
*1987 - Finished in 7th place
*1989 - Finished in 6th place
*1990 - Finished in 5th place
*1991 - Finished in 4th place
*1992 - Finished in 7th place
*1993 - Finished in 6th place
*1994 - Finished in 4th place
*1995 - Finished in 6th place
*1996 - Won bronze medal
*1997 - Finished in 6th place
*1998 - Finished in 12th place
*1999 - Finished in 6th place
*2000 - Finished in 5th place
*2001 - Finished in 4th place
*2002 - Finished in 7th place
*2003 - Finished in 13th place
*2004 - Won bronze medal
*2005 - Finished in 6th place
*2006 - Finished in 7th place
*2007 - Finished in 5th place
*2008 - Finished in 6th place

Others

* 1988 Spengler Cup - Winners
* 2002 Deutschland Cup - Finished in 2nd place [ [http://www.usahockey.com//Template_Usahockey.aspx?NAV=TU_01_02_01&ID=205382 USA Hockey Deutschland Cup Archives] ]
* 2003 Deutschland Cup - Winners
* 2004 Deutschland Cup - Winners [ [http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-hockey/stories/111404aao.html 2003&2004 Deutschland Cup] ]
* 2005 Deutschland Cup - Finished in 3rd place [ [http://www.nhl.com/news/2005/11/243242.html 2005 Deutschland Cup] ]
* 2005 TUI Nations Cup - Finished in 2nd place
* 2007 Deutschland Cup - Finished in 2nd place [ [http://www.usahockey.com//Template_Usahockey.aspx?NAV=TU_01_02&ID=22290 USA Hockey Deutschland/TUI Cup results] ]

ee also

* List of United States national hockey team rosters

References

External links

* [http://www.usahockey.com USA Hockey official website]