John Wroblewski's fingerprints are all over U.S. Olympic hockey

The coach has guided the top-ranked women's team and helped develop the men's brightest stars

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

John Wroblewski, 44, has his fingerprints all over both the U.S. women's and men's Olympic hockey teams. He is currently the head coach of the top-ranked U.S. women's team, which has rolled through the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympics. Wroblewski previously coached the U.S. National Team Development Program, where he helped mold some of the American men's brightest players, including Jack and Quinn Hughes, Brady Tkachuk, and Matt Boldy. After a personal leave of absence from the AHL's Ontario Reign in 2022, Wroblewski was called upon by USA Hockey to coach the U.S. women's national team, where he has provided a stabilizing presence and introduced a youth movement that has the team poised for Olympic gold.

Why it matters

Wroblewski's ability to develop elite talent on both the men's and women's sides has made him a rising star in the hockey coaching world. His work with the U.S. National Team Development Program and now the U.S. women's national team has helped maintain the country's status as a global hockey powerhouse. The success of both the U.S. women's and men's teams at the 2026 Olympics further cements Wroblewski's reputation as one of the top coaches in the sport.

The details

After his playing career ended in 2007, Wroblewski immediately pivoted to coaching. He worked his way up through the ECHL and AHL ranks before being named head coach of the U.S. National Team Development Program in 2017. Over the next four years, he led one of the most talented cohorts the country has ever produced, with 29 of his players being drafted by the NHL, including a record eight first-rounders in 2019. In 2022, Wroblewski took a personal leave of absence from his role as head coach of the AHL's Ontario Reign, but was then called upon by USA Hockey to coach the U.S. women's national team. Since then, he has provided a stabilizing presence, introducing a youth movement that has the team poised for Olympic gold.

  • Wroblewski was named head coach of the U.S. National Team Development Program in 2017.
  • Wroblewski took a personal leave of absence from the Ontario Reign in 2022.
  • Wroblewski was called upon by USA Hockey to coach the U.S. women's national team in 2022.

The players

John Wroblewski

A 44-year-old hockey coach who has guided the top-ranked U.S. women's Olympic team and previously helped develop some of the American men's brightest stars as head coach of the U.S. National Team Development Program.

Jack Hughes

An American hockey player who was coached by Wroblewski in the U.S. National Team Development Program and is now a star forward for the New Jersey Devils.

Quinn Hughes

An American hockey player who was coached by Wroblewski in the U.S. National Team Development Program and is now a star defenseman for the Vancouver Canucks.

Brady Tkachuk

An American hockey player who was coached by Wroblewski in the U.S. National Team Development Program and is now a star forward for the Ottawa Senators.

Matt Boldy

An American hockey player who was coached by Wroblewski in the U.S. National Team Development Program and is now a star forward for the Minnesota Wild.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Wrobo's one of the best communicators and motivators I've ever seen. He knows the game, he works his butt off and all he does is want his players to succeed, both as individuals and as a team.”

— Jack Hughes (The Athletic)

“I owe a lot of credit to him with the trust he had in me and the faith he had in the player that I was going to become and the opportunity he gave me and the situations he put me in.”

— Matt Boldy (The Athletic)

“Being here and having this opportunity has been so amazing for me, and those women mean so much to me. And that team is just incredible. Those are special women in that room, a real collection of not only winning hockey players, but winners in life.”

— John Wroblewski (The Athletic)

What’s next

The U.S. women's team will play Sweden in the semifinals on Monday, with the winner advancing to the likely gold-medal match against Canada on Thursday.

The takeaway

Wroblewski's ability to develop elite talent on both the men's and women's sides has made him a rising star in the hockey coaching world. His work with the U.S. National Team Development Program and now the U.S. women's national team has helped maintain the country's status as a global hockey powerhouse, with both the U.S. women's and men's teams contending for gold at the 2026 Olympics.