The 2018 Winter Olympics will take place in PyeongChang County, Republic of Korea, which is more commonly known as South Korea, starting Friday, February 9 and ending Sunday, February 25. Twelve nations will compete in the ice hockey tournament. One of these teams includes the United States of America (USA). Father of Sacred Heart Greenwich eighth-grader Dylan Drury, Mr. Chris Drury, played for the team in the 2002, 2006, and 2010 Olympics. 

This year, the ice hockey games will take place in two locations: the Gangneung Hockey Centre and the Kwandong Hockey Centre. The men’s ice hockey tournament will start Saturday, February 10 and end Sunday, February 25.

In the 2018 Olympic men’s ice hockey tournament, the top eight nations of the 2015 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIFH) Men’s World Ranking and host city’s team will automatically qualify and consequently divide according to their ranking. During the three stages of Olympic Qualification in the 2015-2016 season, the other three qualifiers fought for their spot in the tournament, according to iifh.com. 

Once each team qualifies for the tournament, the IIFH places the 12 teams into three separate groups, Group A, Group B, and Group C. Group A includes a range of nations, from Canada, who is ranked first, to South Korea, who is ranked last. The winner of each group will advance to the next round of games. They will then play the winning teams from the other groups until there are only two remaining teams, who will compete for the gold medal. 

Former member of the USA ice hockey team Mr. Drury won two silver medals in the 2002 and 2010 Winter Games. Mr. Drury also played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 12 years. The NHL awarded him with the title of NHL Rookie of the Year in his 1998 to 1999 season and he won the Stanley Cup in his 2000 to 2001 season with the Colorado Avalanche. Mr. Drury later signed to the New York Rangers, serving the team as captain for three seasons. United States Hockey then inducted Mr. Drury into the US Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015. By the end of his career, Mr. Drury had represented the United States in three consecutive Olympic games in 2002, 2006, and 2010.

“I consider myself very lucky to have played in the Olympics and will always be proud to have [my] two medals,” Mr. Drury said. “Coming out on to the ice to chants of USA […] in Salt Lake City, [it’s] something I will never forget.”

Internationally, Mr. Drury has also represented the United States in numerous tournaments aside from the Olympics and earned multiple medals and awards. Now, Mr. Drury is the father of three children, works as the Rangers’ Assistant General Manager, and is the General Manager for the Rangers’ American Hockey League affiliate the Hartford Wolf Pack, according to nhl.com.

“The Olympics were an amazing experience,” Mr. Drury said. “Representing our country was the thrill of a lifetime! For me, there is no greater honor in sports than wearing the red, white, and blue of Team USA.” 
-Morgan Smith, Staff Writer