Nick Abruzzese: Top things to know about Team USA's forward

Nick Abruzzese's first-ever tweet was a simple one: "Big win for the US #Sochi2014".

The 14-year-old was cheering on the Team USA men's ice hockey team at home in Slate Hill, Orange County, New York. The US opened their campaign at Sochi 2014 with a resounding 7-1 victory over Slovakia.

Eight years later, here he is at the Winter Olympics Beijing 2022 wearing the number 16 jersey, and representing the US as they begin their quest for gold.

So how did he get here? We break it down.

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The 22-year-old's father, who played hockey in New York City and was a big Rangers fan, got him into the sport. Team USA will be led by David Quinn, a former Rangers coach.

"Hockey's the biggest passion I have in my life. I've been doing it mostly my whole life. My life has really revolved around hockey. I've been very fortunate to have a lot of good memories playing this game and hope I can continue to create a lot more memories moving forward."

Abruzzese was a standout club hockey player despite his high school not having a hockey team, and he signed a letter of intent to play for Harvard in 2017, where he is now a psychology major.

The left-handed forward has had a superb collegiate career. He was named the Ivy League Rookie of the Year in 2019/20 and has been shining ever since. He's also the team captain for Harvard, a rarity for someone that hasn't reached their senior year.

At the time Abruzzese got the call from Team USA management, his 1.62 points per game was the best in all of the top division of collegiate hockey in the US.

“It’s an incredible opportunity," he told the Times Herald-Record. "I'm really, really excited to have been selected to go over there and