Before stars such as Auston Matthews, the Tkachuk brothers and the Hughes brothers captured gold for Team USA last month as the first NHLers to participate in the Olympics in more than a decade, there were players such as Brendan Brisson donning the red, white and blue on the sport’s global stage.
Brisson was one of 15 college hockey players to be named to the United States men’s hockey team for the 2022 Beijing Winter Games. Along with his fellow NCAA skaters, two American Hockey League players and eight Europe-based professionals, a then-20-year-old Brisson skated to fifth place in the tournament with his USA teammates.
After wearing the jersey himself, watching the U.S. bring home its first gold medal in 46 years was special for the young Rangers forward.
“It was kind of weird a little bit watching this year, like holy crap, I was there four years ago,” Brisson told Sports+ from his locker room stall on Monday. “It was obviously the most special tournament in the world ever. Knowing what they were doing a little bit in their everyday life. For USA to win gold and bring it back was so special. I felt like, in a weird way, I felt a part of it a little bit. I was just super-proud and happy for all those guys.
