SPECIAL: Team USA Women's Hockey GM Katie Million on Olympic Confidence, Roster Building & Why This Team Is Different

Less than 24 hours before their Olympic opener, Team USA Women's Hockey General Manager Katie Million joins us from Milan to discuss the journey to the 2026 Winter Olympics. Katie shares insights on building a championship roster that blends veterans like Hillary Knight with seven current NCAA players, the impact of the PWHL on international competition, and why this tight-knit group has her feeling more confident than ever.

We discuss the evolution of women's hockey beyond the traditional USA-Canada rivalry, the challenges of competing against rising powers like Czechia and Finland, and what makes this Olympic team's chemistry so special. Katie also opens up about the four-year journey since Beijing, the advantage of having rivalry series for roster evaluation, and why she believes they have "a team full of MVPs."

Perfect for hockey fans and anyone interested in Olympic team building and the growing landscape of professional women's hockey.

#TeamUSA #WomensHockey #Olympics #Milan2026 #HockeyPodcast #PWHL #HillaryKnight #KatieMillions

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro & Welcome

0:18 - Less Than 24 Hours to Opening Game: Managing Emotions

1:46 - Building Confidence Through the Rivalry Series

2:52 - Target on Their Back: Facing Canada and Rising Teams 3:25 - Czechia's Young Talent and the Klautin Kova Factor

3:48 - Women's Hockey Beyond USA vs Canada

4:22 - How the PWHL Changed International Competition

5:05 - Roster Decisions: Who Gets Cut and Why

6:35 - Team Chemistry and What Makes This Group Special

7:50 - Role of Veterans: Hillary Knight's Legacy

8:40 - Coaching Staff and Their Olympic Experience

10:08 - Game Plan Strategy for Milan

11:15 - Physical vs Finesse: Team USA's Playing Style

13:05 - Mixing Veterans with College Players

14:57 - "We Have a Team Full of MVPs"

15:23 - Comparing Roster Building with Men's Team (Billy Guerin)

16:24 - Final Thoughts and Hillary Knight's Last Olympics