Overview
- USA Hockey confirmed Jan. 21 that Jones was removed due to injury after a deflected Winter Classic shot led to an upper-body issue and an LTIR placement.
- Anaheim’s Jackson LaCombe, 25, was named as his replacement, bringing 31 points in 49 games and heavy minutes in his third NHL season.
- The Ducks blueliner won gold with Team USA at the 2025 IIHF Men’s World Championship and called the Olympic call-up from GM Bill Guerin “surreal.”
- His addition leaves the U.S. with six left-shot defensemen and only two right-shot options—Brock Faber and Charlie McAvoy—reshaping matchup options on the back end.
- Reaction from several outlets questioned passing over candidates such as Montreal’s Lane Hutson, as Team USA readies to open Feb. 12 against Latvia in Milan.