S4 E17: Seizing Olympic opportunities with UMD captain Noah Cates, Duluthian Brett Larson

For this week’s guests, deciding to join Team USA for the 2022 Olympics in Beijing was a no-brainer.

With the NHL deciding to not participate in the Winter Games due to COVID-19 concerns, the United States men’s hockey team instead consists of a combination of past and present high-level college players, creating one of its youngest teams in decades.

Joining us this week on the podcast is Bulldogs senior captain and U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team winger, Noah Cates and U.S. assistant men’s hockey coach Brett Larson — the Duluth Denfeld graduate, former Bulldogs player and coach, and current head coach at St. Cloud State.

Cates and Larson joined the podcast from Los Angeles on Monday prior to Team USA’s departure to Beijing. They talked about their decision to join the team, what it’s like to come together as a team so quickly and what they are most looking forward to at the Olympics.

The first game for the American men is next Thursday, Feb. 10 at 7:10 a.m. Duluth time vs. the hosts, China.

The Bulldog Insider is co-hosted by Duluth News Tribune sports reporter Matt Wellens and My9 television voice of Bulldog hockey Zach Schneider. Episodes are edited by Duluth News Tribune digital producers Samantha Erkkila and Dan Williamson. You can find more Bulldog hockey coverage at duluthnewstribune.com.