A gold prize for Gaudreau: Achievement of his Olympic dream
U.S. Breaks 92-Year Ice Hockey World Championship Drought with Overtime Win
The United States Ice Hockey team claimed their first world championship title in 92 years on Sunday, triumphing over Switzerland 1-0 in Stockholm. Forward Tage Thompson, a member of the Buffalo Sabres, scored the game-winning golden goal to clinch the victory and bring an end to an impressive drought.
Coach Ryan Warsofsky, of the San Jose Sharks, explained that the team had set their sights on capturing the coveted trophy from the very start of the tournament. "We spoke about it at our first meeting," he said. "1933 – that's not good enough for US hockey. We wanted to change that."
Warsofsky's squad, consisting mostly of 24-year-old players, made significant improvements as the tournament progressed, putting forth outstanding performances in both the semi-final and final. The team demonstrated a modern style of ice hockey – aggressive, quick, physical, and united – that rivaled that of Canada, who surprisingly lost to Denmark in the quarter-finals.
Ice Hockey World Championships generally do not captivate audiences in the United States to the same degree as they do in Canada, as they often coincide with the playoffs of the National Hockey League (NHL), the best ice hockey league globally. This time, however,The US team's pursuance of historical success sparked higher interest in the tournament.
The emotional aspect of the victory was not lost on the team. During the competition, a jersey bearing the number 13 was hung in the locker room in memory of Johnny Gaudreau, who tragically passed away in a cycling accident in August 2024 at the age of 29. Gaudreau had played for the team three months earlier in the World Championships in the Czech Republic.
Team members dedicated the victory to him, describing his spirit as being present throughout the tournaments. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman, who made 25 saves in the final, said, "This gold medal belongs to him and the legacy he left for all US hockey players."
The triumph resonates as a sign of a positive resurgence in US hockey, with an increasing number of US professionals in the NHL. While in 1999, roughly 17 percent of NHL players were American, the proportion now stands at around 30 percent. Success in international competitions such as this year's World Championships could continue to spur this trend, potentially leading to a prosperous future for US ice hockey.
Swayman and other team members expressed their hope that this win marked the beginning of a "new era" for US hockey, asserting their intention to build upon their success in future tournaments, including the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo in February 2026. With the NHL once again making its players available for the Olympics, the US team aspired to maintain their stellar performance throughout the Olympics as well.
The triumphant US Ice Hockey team, having won the World Championship after a long 92-year drought, is eyeing the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo with ambition, striving to represent the NHL in the Olympics and continue their success in the world of sports, notably in hockey. With rising numbers of American professionals in the NHL and enthusiastic spectators supporting their every move, the team aims to forge a new era in US hockey, emulating the aggressive, quick, physical, and united style of hockey that characterized their NHL-rivaling performances at the World Championships.
