SUNRISE, Fla. – USA Hockey announced today that Florida Panthers Assistant General Manager Brett Peterson has been named general manager for the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 2026 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) World Championships in Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland, from May 15 to 31.
A native of Northborough, Mass., Peterson will serve as general manager of the team for the second time. He served as GM for the United States at the 2024 IIHF World Championship, and as assistant general manager for the team in 2025 when the United States won gold at the event for the first time since 1933.
Supporting Peterson in the player selection process will be the U.S. Men's National Team Advisory Group, a collection of NHL general managers and hockey operations executives that includes Stan Bowman (Edmonton Oilers), Craig Conroy (Calgary Flames), Chris Drury (New York Rangers), Tom Fitzgerald (New Jersey Devils), Mike Grier (San Jose Sharks), Bill Guerin (Minnesota Wild), Chris MacFarland (Colorado Avalanche), Chris Patrick (Washington Capitals), Eric Tulsky (Carolina Hurricanes), Don Waddell (Columbus Blue Jackets) and Bill Zito (Florida Panthers).
Florida Panthers President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Zito previously served as general manager for Team USA at the 2018 World Championship, securing the bronze medal in a 4-1 victory over Team Canada. Prior to his appointment to general manager for Team USA, Zito served on the management staff for the 2015 U.S. Men’s National Team that claimed a bronze medal at the 2015 IIHF Men’s World Championships in Ostrava and Prague, Czech Republic. He also served as assistant general manager for the United States at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, helping the U.S. men’s team capture gold for the first time since 1980.
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