Maple Leafs' Most Underrated Defenseman Gets Snubbed by Team USA
Photo credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images
The Toronto Maple Leafs get representation with the USA's preliminary Olympic roster with Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies but have a snub in Jake McCabe.
The United States named 44 players to their preliminary roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, and the Toronto Maple Leafs have two representatives on the shortlist for the Americans.
Auston Matthews had been previously announced as one of the first six forwards named to the team, almost surely to be on the team for the USA at the Olympics.
Recently named to the Americans shortlist was fellow Maple Leaf Matthew Knies, one of the 44 vying for a chance to represent their country on the biggest international stage.
Matthews has deep experience with the US National Team, having been a member of the United States National Team Development Program as a youngster, and played for the country internationally at the Four Nations.
Knies has previous Olympics experience, having been on the 2022 roster for the Americans, one of many prospects named to a tournament that didn't include NHLers; Knies also played for the US at the World Juniors.
The Leafs will have other representation as William Nylander was named to Sweden's Olympic roster as one of their six original named players.
While the Leafs will likely see representation at the Olympics, one player was left off the roster who perhaps deserved a chance.
Jake McCabe Misses Out on Olympic Opportunity With Omission
Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Jake McCabe was not one of the 44 players named to the USA Olympics camp roster, a team that is carrying 16 defenders.
McCabe wasn't guaranteed to make the American team, and would be up against some tough competition, but it shows that defensive defensemen are not a main priority for the USA.
Also not named to the Olympics trials for the Americans is goaltender Anthony Stolarz, not one of the four netminders given the opportunity.
Another, and more surprise omission, was Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, with the reigning Calder winner not even given a camp invite, something previously reported by 'The Sick Podcast'.
McCabe, 31, is a reliable shutdown defenseman who's game is more focused on the defensive end. McCabe lacks offensive flash with just two goals and 23 points in 66 games last season for Toronto.
Team USA Goes For Offense On Blueline Over Stay-At Home Options
The omission of Jake McCabe is indictive of the fact that the Americans are focused on skill and offensive pedigree in their blueline for the Olympics, with every team as stacked as they can be.
The Americans do have a deep group on the left side of their roster, led by Quinn Hughes and Zach Werenski, so a fellow leftie like McCabe was facing an uphill climb.
One would guess one of their lefties would be moved to their off-hand if the Americans are taking their best instead of a balance of three lefties and three righties.
In what has been an emerging growth of hockey in the United States, a player like Jake McCabe finds it harder and harder to make international tournaments with the growth done in recent years, but Leafs fans still know Jake McCabe is an underrated defenseman who plays an important role in Toronto.
