Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger will be in Italy for the 2026 Winter Olympics and will be joined by two other North Texans on Team USA’s hockey rosters. Arlington native Seth Jones, who now plays for the Florida Panthers, and Coppell’s Hannah Bilka, who plays for the Seattle Torrent in the PW HL, will join Oettinger in Milan Cortina next month. USA Hockey announced its Olympic rosters Friday, a little more than a month before the start of the Winter Olympics. Shortly before the announcement, Oettinger spoke with us about what it would mean for him to make the team. “For myself and for my family would be like the greatest honor of my career,” Oettinger said. It’s not that he was a lock for the spot, but all roads were leading to this announcement. Starting back in August, when Oettinger and teammate Jason Robertson were among 44 NHL players selected to attend USA Hockey orientation camp. Robertson was considered for the Winter Olympic team, but was left off the list. “That was just a cool experience. Everyone talks about it being like a distraction, but I think it’s like the opposite. It’s like one of the coolest things you could do would probably be the biggest achievement in my career so far,” Oettinger said. With this year’s numbers in the net, he has set himself up to be the starter in Milan and Cortina, possibly. He and Connor Hellebuyck (Winnipeg Jets) will battle it out for the starting position. 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics 11 hours ago Four Dallas Stars to play with Finland in Winter Olympics 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics Dec 31 Stars' Thomas Harley to represent Team Canada in 2026 Winter Games Oettinger also participated in the 2025 4 National Face-Off, an international hockey tournament featuring handpicked athletes representing their countries. For him, it was a warm-up of the big announcement to come. The 2026 Winter Games will be the first time NHL players will hit the ice in the Olympics since the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi. There were several reasons for the hiatus, including COVID. The one thing that could prevent NHL players from participating in the 2026 Winter Games is facility conditions. For months, there have been concerns that the ice facility will not be completed in time to be tested and ensure player safety. The NHL said they are watching the situation closely and are “cautiously optimistic” that it will be done. The last time men’s hockey won Olympic gold was during the legendary “Miracle on Ice” on Feb. 22, 1980, in Lake Placid. Even though Oettinger wasn’t born when it happened, he knows what the legend means for his country and the sport, as the U.S. knocked out the Soviet Union in the medal round. A David versus Goliath for the ages. “I’ve watched that movie and that game a thousand times. That’s exactly what it’s all about,” Oettinger said. Arlington native Seth Jones named to Team USA’s hockey roster Another familiar face from North Texas will also be making the trip to Italy. Arlington native Seth Jones, who now plays for the Florida Panthers, who have won back-to-back Stanley Cup Championships, was also chosen to represent Team USA. He’s considered one of the strongest defensemen in the league. As of this publication, Jones has six goals and 18 assists for 24 points in 39 games on the season. Coppell’s Hannah Bilka named to Team USA hockey team Hannah Bilka, 24, won a national championship with the Ohio Buckeyes in 2024 after transferring from Boston College. The forward was selected fourth overall by the Boston Fleet in the 2024 Professional Women’s Hockey League draft and played in 16 games during her first season. In 2025, she moved west to Seattle after being selected by the Torrent in the PWHL Expansion Draft. The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina begin with the opening ceremony on Friday, Feb. 6 on NBC 5 and streaming on Peacock. 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics Dec 31, 2025 Canada unveils Olympic hockey roster loaded with NHL stars. Here's the full team 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics Dec 9, 2025 The drama explained: The 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic hockey rink This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser. ...read more read less