Seth Jones injury leads to Team USA replacement choice

Team USA has made its first roster adjustment ahead of the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan after Florida Panthers defenseman Seth Jones was ruled out because of injury. USA Hockey announced Wednesday that Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe has been selected to take Jones’ place on the U.S. men’s Olympic ice hockey team.

Jones has not played since January 2, when he was injured during the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic against the New York Rangers. The injury occurred at 7:54 of the first period after a shot from Alexis Lafreniere deflected upward off Florida defenseman Niko Mikkola and struck Jones high, near the neck and collarbone area. The 31-year-old exited the game early and was later diagnosed with an upper-body injury. After an initial week-to-week outlook, the team eventually placed him on long-term injured reserve, confirming he would miss the Olympic tournament.

Before the injury, Jones had recorded 24 points, including six goals and 18 assists, in 40 games this season. He led all Panthers defensemen in offensive categories and averaged a significant role on the blue line. Now in his 13th NHL season, Jones has racked up 465 points (105 goals, 360 assists) in 900 regular-season games while playing for the Nashville Predators, Columbus Blue Jackets, Chicago Blackhawks, and Florida. He also has 33 points in 60 playoff games and was part of the Panthers’ Stanley Cup championship run last season, contributing nine points in the postseason.

LaCombe steps into the Olympic lineup during his third full NHL season with Anaheim. Through 49 games this season, the 25-year-old has produced 31 points on six goals and 25 assists while averaging 24:26 of ice time per game. Over 197 NHL regular-season games, he has garnered 91 points, including 22 goals and 69 assists.

The Eden Prairie, Minnesota native brings recent international success to the roster. He was a member of the U.S. team that captured gold at the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championship, the country’s first title at the event since 1933. LaCombe ended the tournament with five points in 10 games. Earlier in his career, he also earned gold with the U.S. National Junior Team at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship. At the collegiate level, LaCombe played four seasons at the University of Minnesota from 2019 to 2023 and served as an alternate captain in his final year.

From a performance standpoint, LaCombe provides a similar two-way profile to Jones. This season, LaCombe has amassed 83 blocked shots and 42 hits, compared to Jones’ 47 blocked shots and 38 hits. Tracking data also shows LaCombe reaching a higher top skating speed at 22.63 mph, while Jones peaked at 21.99 mph. Their average shot speeds are comparable, with Jones at 67.83 mph and LaCombe at 66 mph.

LaCombe’s addition gives Team USA six left-shot defensemen, with Brock Faber and Charlie McAvoy as the two right-handed options. The defensive group also includes Quinn Hughes, Jaccob Slavin, Zach Werenski, Noah Hanifin, Jake Sanderson, and McAvoy. Up front, the roster announced on January 2 by general manager Bill Guerin is led by Auston Matthews, Brady Tkachuk, Matthew Tkachuk, and Jack Eichel.

The Olympic men’s hockey tournament will feature 12 teams, each playing three preliminary games. Group winners and the best second-place team advance directly to the quarterfinals. Team USA, placed in Group C, opens play on February 12 against Latvia, followed by games versus Denmark on February 14 and Germany on February 15. The gold medal game is scheduled for February 22, as the United States continues the pursuit of its first Olympic men’s hockey gold since 1980.

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