Why Kyle Connor isn't playing today for Team USA in gold medal game

kyle connor will not play in Team USA’s gold medal game against Canada; he has been listed as a healthy scratch and is not sidelined by injury.

Kyle Connor scratched again for the championship

Connor skated in the first two Olympic games but was left out of the preliminary finale against Germany, which the United States won 5-1, and did not play in the quarterfinal against Sweden or the semifinal against Slovakia. Head coaches have kept him out of the lineup for the tournament’s final game, making him a healthy scratch for this championship matchup.

Bench move opened a spot for Clayton Keller

Scratching Connor cleared the roster spot that allowed Utah Mammoth forward Clayton Keller to be activated; Keller had not played in the first two games and has been buzzing around the ice since joining the active lineup. The benching of Connor directly created that opportunity against opponents including Germany and Sweden.

Limited production and roster context

kyle connor, a 29-year-old winger and a Winnipeg Jets forward, came into the Olympics with a strong NHL season — 25 goals and 64 points — but did not translate that scoring to Italy. He did not register a shot on goal through his first two Olympic games and failed to record a point in two tournament appearances, leaving him minus-1 in his Olympic stat line. On the goaltending side, Connor Hellebuyck will start in net for the Americans; Hellebuyck has started all but one game for the team so far.

With Connor off the ice, coaches have leaned on other forwards in the quarterfinal win over Sweden and the semifinal matchup with Slovakia, and Keller’s activation has been one of the most visible lineup changes of the tournament.

Team USA faces Canada in the gold medal game on Sunday, and Connor will watch from the bench while his teammates take the ice for the championship.