The U.S. men’s hockey team won its first standalone world championship since 1933, beating Switzerland 1-0 in overtime in Sunday’s final in Stockholm.
Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Sabres scored the golden goal 2:02 into OT to give the U.S. men their first major tournament title since the 1996 World Cup. Their last Olympic title came in 1980 with the Miracle on Ice.
Jeremy Swayman of the Boston Bruins stopped all 25 Swiss shots. Swayman was the unused third goalie for the U.S. at the 4 Nations Face-Off in February behind Connor Hellebuyck and Jake Oettinger, neither of whom was on the world team as their NHL clubs made the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Tage Thompson makes USA GOLDEN! 👏🏆#MensWorlds #IIHF @usahockey pic.twitter.com/exwtHHDrsA
For a time, the Olympics also counted as world championships, so the U.S.’ Olympic medals in 1952 (silver), 1956 (silver) and 1960 (gold) are also world championship medals.
The U.S. was eliminated from worlds in the quarterfinals last year. The Americans were fourth at worlds in 2022 and 2023 and made the semifinals 13 times since the IIHF reinstituted a bracketed playoff round in 1992.
They lost 12 semifinals in a row before beating Sweden in Stockholm on Saturday to ensure their first gold or silver finish at a standalone worlds since 1950.
After Sunday’s win, the team celebrated with a jersey of Johnny Gaudreau, the U.S.’ all-time leader in points and assists in world championship play. Gaudreau and his brother, Matthew, died last Aug. 29 after being hit by a suspected drunk driver while they were bicycling.
World Champions? Gold Medalists? Team USA?
You can call us all of ‘em. 😤🇺🇸 #MensWorlds pic.twitter.com/zjxgs1LnKN
The U.S. Olympic roster in 2026 — with the expected return of NHL players for the first time since 2014 — should look very different from the world team.
Only two players on the world team (Swayman and defenseman Zach Werenski) were on the roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off. The 4 Nations team is expected to more closely resemble the Olympic team that will be named in full in late 2025 or January 2026.
Many top NHL players miss worlds because the tournament takes place during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Others choose to rest after the NHL season.
The U.S. head coach at worlds was the San Jose Sharks’ Ryan Warsofsky.
The U.S. head coach for the Olympics is the New York Rangers’ Mike Sullivan.
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