Team USA has announced its roster for the 2026 Olympics, and New York Rangers defenseman Adam Fox did not make the team. Fox confirmed he spoke with Team USA GM Bill Guerin earlier in the week and was told he did not make the team.
“Obviously, it’s not what you want to hear,” Fox said following his team’s practice ahead of the 2026 Winter Classic on Thursday. “It is what it is. The decision is the decision. I guess that’s how it goes.”
Before the official announcement, reports from Michael Russo of The Athletic and Emily Kaplan of ESPN indicated that Fox was not making the team despite a strong season with the New York Rangers.
However, for those thinking this is a snub, go back to what Bill Guerin said to the media when the first six for Team USA for the 2026 Olympics were announced in June.
“Adam, his tournament was fine,” Guerin said. “It wasn’t as well as he could have played; his season wasn’t up to his standards. But you know what? He’s very much in the mix.”
This set the stage for Fox being left off the American Olympic roster, not to mention the narrative that started to grow on social media and amongst the national media that Adam Fox was no longer an elite defenseman.
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That narrative only grew after Team USA head coach Mike Sullivan said Fox had to raise his game after being named the new Rangers coach in an interview with Michael Russo of The Athletic.
“I’m probably stating the obvious when I say this, but performance matters. I think Foxy knows he’s capable of a better game. And him and I have had discussions about it, and I think he’s inspired with the opportunity to bring a better version of himself. And I told him when I became his coach that I was going to do everything in my power to help him become the best version of himself.
And not only is that good for the New York Rangers, it’s also good for the U.S. team. He’s a Norris Trophy winner, and he’s a young guy. He’s not aging out. He’s capable of an elite game. And it’s our job as coaching staff to help him get there. And we’re certainly going to do everything we can to do that; we believe that Foxy’s capable of a next-level game. A Norris Trophy-caliber game. You don’t win the Norris Trophy if you’re not capable of that, and we believe he still is.”
But this was interesting timing, given the GM had just made comments about his play. It seemed like they had already decided Adam Fox wouldn’t be on the team, and nobody cared what he did this season; he wasn’t going to be on the team.
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These guys can say anything they want publicly about players not playing their way off teams or everyone is in the hunt, but the Adam Fox narrative that grew because of the Rangers poor season last season and his play in the Four Nations put him behind the eight ball.
While Rangers GM Chris Drury and Sullivan went to bat for Adam Fox with USA management, the decision had already been made to keep him off the team, despite his returning to a Norris Trophy level this season.
This situation had a 2014 feel to it. Remember, Martin St. Louis was initially left off the 2014 Team Canada roster by his general manager at the time, Steve Yzerman. Yzerman was the GM of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Team Canada. There was friction between the two that led to the trade of St. Louis out of Tampa Bay to the Rangers.
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Despite the emotions surrounding the decision, Mike Sullivan and Adam Fox are keeping things professional.
“Adam and I have had a number of conversations around this, and I will keep that conversation between Adam and I. What I will tell you is that these teams that are being picked are the best of the best, and there are so many good players, and there are very, very difficult decisions that have to be made, and it is a collaborative effort on everybody’s part. And that’s just the reality of the circumstances, and we’ll do our very best to be as professional and straightforward as we can be with everyone that’s involved.”
However, if Team USA wants to bring the best players, it needs to include Adam Fox. His play with the Rangers this season shows he is still an elite defenseman in the NHL. Now, he can still be included if there is an injury, but the narratives written that circulated about Fox made it easy for Team USA and Bill Guerin to leave him off the roster.
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