When the 2026 Winter Olympics get underway later this year, Pittsburgh hockey fans will have plenty of rooting interests. 

As expected, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby will once again represent Team Canada at the Olympics. In June, Crosby was named among the first six for Team Canada, along with Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar from the Avalanche, Connor McDavid from the Oilers, Brayden Point from the Lightning, and Sam Reinhart from the Panthers.

The 2026 Olympic Games in Milan-Cortina, Italy, will be Crosby's third Olympic appearance. In 2010, Crosby wrote his way into the history books, scoring the overtime, gold medal-winning goal against Team USA in Vancouver. 

Four years later, he would captain Team Canada to another gold medal, this time in Sochi, Russia. 

Western Pennsylvanians named to Team USA

As Team USA continues its quest on the men's side to win its first gold medal since the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, two western Pennsylvania natives will make the trip. 

Vincent Trocheck, a Pittsburgh native who played youth hockey with the Pittsburgh Hornets, was named to the team. 

Trocheck was taken by the Florida Panthers in the third round of the 2011 NHL Draft, 64th overall, and has spent time with the Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, and New York Rangers. 

In 829 career games, he's scored 232 goals and 368 assists for an even 600 points. So far this season with the Rangers, he's scored nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points. 

Joining him is his Rangers teammate and captain, JT Miller. 

Miller, originally born in East Palestine, Ohio, moved to Pittsburgh as a kid and, like Trocheck, spent time in the Hornets' program. 

He was drafted by the Rangers in the 2011 NHL Draft, 15th overall. 

Since being drafted by New York, Miller played for the Rangers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Vancouver Canucks. 

In 906 career games, Miller has scored 270 goals and 461 assists for 731 points. This season, in 35 games, he has 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points with the Rangers. 

Behind the bench for Team USA will be their current head coach with the Rangers, and former Penguins head coach, Mike Sullivan. 

Pittsburgh goalie makes Team USA Olympic debut

Meanwhile, the United States' women's team is looking to win its first gold medal since 2018, but did grab silver at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. 

Joining the women's team and making her Olympic debut is goaltender Ava McNaughton of Seven Fields. 

McNaughton played youth hockey in the Pittsburgh area, skating with the Pittsburgh Penguins Elite Girls Team as well as the Arctic Foxes boys team. 

She's currently a junior at the University of Wisconsin and, in 19 appearances this season, has a .942 save percentage and a 1.27 goals against average. Her record is 17-1-1, and she's tied for the NCAA lead in shutouts with six. 

The full Team USA rosters can be found on their website, right here. 

Other Penguins headed to the Olympics

Joining Crosby at the 2026 Winter Olympics will be a pair of Swedish players. Defenseman Erik Karlsson and forward Rickard Rakell have been named to Team Sweden. 

So far this season, Karlsson has three goals and 27 assists for 30 points in 39 games, good for the third-most points on the Penguins. 

This will be Karlsson's second appearance at the Olympics after he helped Sweden pick up a silver medal at the 2014 Olympics. He was also named the tournament's best defenseman. 

Joining him is forward Rickard Rakell. Rakell missed an extended period of time due to injury this season, but has still recorded four goals and nine assists for 13 points in 19 games. 

While Rakell has represented Team Sweden on the international stage at the Four Nations Face-Off and World Junior Championships, this will be his first Olympics.