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Howard Simmons/New York Daily News
Ryan Callahan will represent the U.S. in the Olympics for the second-straight time.
PITTSBURGH — They’ll be the Rangers’ Sochi Big Three.
Captain Ryan Callahan, top defenseman Ryan McDonagh, and center Derek Stepan all were named to the U.S. Olympic team after the NHL Winter Classic on New Year’s Day. Team USA will compete in Sochi, Russia, this February.
The Rangers are tied with the Blues for the most players on the 25-man roster. St. Louis is sending captain David Backes, right wing T.J. Oshie and defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk.
Howard Simmons/New York Daily News
Derek Stepan, on the bubble to make the roster due to a disappointing 2013-14 season, joins college — and Rangers — teammate Ryan McDonagh on the squad.
Callahan, 28, and McDonagh, 24, were locks to make the team, but Stepan, 23, had been on the bubble due to a disappointing 2013-14 season before being selected by Team USA GM David Poile to the 25-man roster.
Callahan (left knee sprain) — who could return to the Rangers lineup as early as Friday after the team waived forward Taylor Pyatt on Wednesday — will represent the U.S. in a second consecutive Olympics, after helping the Red, White and Blue capture the silver medal in 2010 in Vancouver.
McDonagh and Stepan, also former college teammates at the University of Wisconsin, will be playing in their first Olympics, but they’ve starred in several championship tournaments for U.S.A. Hockey through the years.
Howard Simmons/New York Daily News
Ryan McDonagh will represent the U.S. in the Olympics for the first time. He played for Team USA in the 2011 World Championships along with Derek Stepan.
Stepan captained the U.S. to the 2010 World Junior Championship gold medal and at the 2011 World Championship was named Team USA’s best player. McDonagh most recently appeared in that 2011 World Championship tournament as Stepan’s teammate and has grown into one of the NHL’s best and most promising defensemen, regardless of country or allegiance.
2014 TEAM USA OLYMPIC ROSTER
Forwards (14): David Backes, STL; Dustin Brown, LAK; Ryan Callahan, NYR; Patrick Kane, CHI; Ryan Kesler, VAN; T.J. Oshie, STL; Mac Pacioretty, MTL; Zach Parise, MIN; Joe Pavelski, SJS; Paul Stastny, COL; Derek Stepan, NYR; Blake Wheeler, WPG; Phil Kessel, TOR; James van Riemsdyk, TOR.
Defensemen (8): John Carlson, WSH; Justin Faulk, CAR; Cam Fowler, ANA; Ryan McDonagh, NYR; Paul Martin, PIT; Kevin Shattenkirk, STL; Ryan Suter, MIN; Brooks Orpik, PIT.
Goalies (3): Ryan Miller, BUF; Jonathan Quick, LA; Jimmy Howard, DET.
