It’s been a busy week with trade rumors swirling and the NHL announcing they would allow players to compete in the 2026 and 2030 Winter Olympics. A few days after that announcement, the Team USA higher-ups named the Minnesota Wild’s general manager (GM) and president of hockey operations, Bill Guerin, the GM of Team USA. He’ll serve in that role for the 2025 NHL 4 Nations Face-Off and the 2026 Winter Olympics.
He was supposed to serve in the role in 2022, but the NHL pulled out of the Olympics because of COVID-19 issues. He’s getting a second chance at the job, and he’s the right guy for it. In this article, we’ll explore why he’s the right choice.
Guerin’s Playing Background
Typically, for a coaching or higher-up job in hockey, it’s to a person’s advantage if they grew up playing hockey and possibly played at a higher level. Guerin has done that; he played 18 years in the NHL with several teams, starting with the New Jersey Devils and then moving on to the Edmonton Oilers. He joined the Boston Bruins and then the Dallas Stars. Before finishing his career with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he had short stints with the St. Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks, and New York Islanders.
So not only did he play at a high level, but he earned a vast amount of experience during those years. He even won two Stanley Cups over those seasons; he won his first with the Devils and his second with the Penguins alongside Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang during their dynasty years.
While he has plenty of NHL playing experience and has a closer understanding of how they work, their routines, playing styles, etc., he also has Olympic experience playing with Team USA not just once, but three times; however, they only medaled once in 2002, bringing home a silver medal. While he retired from playing in 2010, he didn’t leave the hockey world; he became more invested as he began his experience behind the scenes, including helping build rosters and championship-caliber teams.
Guerin’s GM Experience
Guerin stuck around Pittsburgh after his playing days as he became their player development coach, where he helped with prospects for a few seasons before moving up. He continued climbing the ladder after some time in the game’s player development area. He was promoted to assistant GM and GM of the Penguins American Hockey League team, Wilkes-Barre-Scranton.
Following his Penguins GM days, he was hired for his current position with the Wild. He’s been with the team since 2019 and has contributed to some of the biggest deals in team history. He’s loved and hated for how he handled the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter buyouts, his efforts to get Kirill Kaprizov here, the ups and downs of Marco Rossi, and quite a few others.
The Wild may not have a Stanley Cup under Guerin, but they’ve also been dealing with money issues that were around before Guerin joined. He may have decided to buy out some big contracts, but looking at the team’s options, he had no choice. Had he not made those decisions, they may not have been able to keep Kaprizov, make room for Matt Boldy, and sign almost any of their players. Plus, they would have had two players running out of time in Minnesota, and had he waited, the situation would’ve only gotten worse.
Guerin Knows What He’s Doing
Guerin has not only won two Stanley Cups while playing but also as an assistant GM. He has four Stanley Cups between being a player and front office staff. He understands the dynamic of being an NHL player and representing his country. Guerin is a no-nonsense type of person, and he’ll expect the same of his team and expects them to win.
While Team Canada is likely the favorite with all of its talent, Team USA also has a lot of talent to pick from, and Guerin knows it. He’s seen these players play, and whenever he’s shown on the broadcast for Wild games, he always appears to be studying everyone on the ice, not only his players but opponents as well.
Related: United States’ Projected Roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics
Guerin won’t be limited by a salary cap when he puts this team together, and I am looking forward to the players he brings on. It’ll be interesting to see if any of his Wild roster members make his Team USA roster, as both Boldy and Brock Faber are strong players who should be considered depending on their production levels over the next two seasons.
Guerin’s Wild Roster
Of course, Guerin is excited about the opportunity to be GM for not only the NHL 4 Nations Faceoff and the 2026 Winter Olympics, but right now, he’ll be focused on getting his Wild team to the postseason once again. He is the type of person who does not look too far ahead and will ensure he’s fulfilling his current position. Hopefully, the Wild can stay on their current winning streak, and he can help Team USA bring home some future wins with the right roster in 2025 and 2026.
