Olympics: Bowman to lead U.S. men's hockey team in Beijing

[April 01, 2021]    (Reuters) - Chicago Blackhawks president of hockey operations Stan Bowman has been appointed general manager of the U.S. men's Olympic ice hockey team for the 2022 Beijing Winter Games, USA Hockey said on Wednesday.

U.S. players stand together after their loss in a shootout. REUTERS/Brian Snyder

Bowman, who also serves as Blackhawks general manager, has helped to build three Stanley Cup championship teams in Chicago and has been a member of the national team advisory group since 2012.

Bill Guerin, a three-time Olympian as a player and currently general manager of the Minnesota Wild, was named assistant general manager.

"The combination of a Stanley Cup-winning GM and a Hall of Fame player who has competed in the Olympics in addition to his experience as an NHL GM, is certainly something we’re excited about,” said John Vanbiesbrouck, assistant executive director of hockey operations for USA Hockey, in a statement.

"Stan and Bill bring varied experiences over their highly successful careers, but the thing that stands out to me is that they are both winners.”

The United States men have not won ice hockey gold since hosting the 1980 Lake Placid Olympics.

They won silver at the 2002 Salt Lake City and 2010 Vancouver Winter Games, losing to Canada both times.

At the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics the U.S. placed seventh in the final rankings after losing to the Czech Republic in the quarter-finals.

(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto; editing by Clare Fallon)

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