(Editor's Note: Team USA won gold at the event, defeating Czechia 4-0 in the final Wednesday afternoon. This article was written before Caruso headed to South Korea for the Games. Congratulations, Dave and Team USA!)
Dave Caruso has done a lot in hockey.
He was a standout goaltender at Ohio State, helping the 2004 Buckeyes win the program's first conference championship in more than three decades. He then went on to a six-year pro career that included 52 contests at the AHL level.
Now a teacher and a coach with a bevy of experiences, Caruso has returned to Columbus as the Blue Jackets’ senior director of amateur hockey programming, running the Blue Jackets Hockey League, which helps local youngsters grow in the game.
But right now, Caruso might be living the most memorable opportunity of his hockey life. He’s in Gangwon, South Korea, with USA Hockey, serving as an assistant coach for the stars and stripes squad that will be playing in the Winter Youth Olympic Games.
“I’ve done a lot of cool things in hockey, but I would have to say this is No. 1 by far as a player or as a coach or as an administrator,” Caruso said. “It’s an international Olympic Committee event. It’s the real deal, Winter Olympics style. Being asked to be part of it by coach Joe Bonnett and Bob Mancini and John Vanbiesbrouck, it’s truly an honor to be part of Team USA.”
While many people likely have never heard of the Winter Youth Olympics, the tournament is a preview of what's to come in the hockey world. The 2020 version of the event, held in Switzerland, featured current Blue Jackets center Adam Fantilli, CBJ draft picks Denton Mateychuk and Gavin Brindley, and such notable names as Cutter Gauthier, Rutger McGroarty, Lane Hutson and Jimmy Snuggerud.
This year’s 17-player Team USA roster includes the top talent born in the year 2008 in the country, and many of the players will likely be household names down the road.
“These kids are the best of the best right now, and it was a really difficult decision to pick the top 17,” Caruso said. “There are so many kids and players that would be willing and able to do it. I think the coolest part is we did a survey with the players and asked them a couple different questions about what they are getting out of the experience and their mind-set, and as a coaching staff, we were blown away.
“These are the top kids in the country and coached by really, really good coaches throughout the country, all coming together on one team.”
Caruso will coach the team’s goaltenders – Gavin Weeks of Manchester, N.H., and Xavier Wendt of Plymouth, Minn. – and help with video breakdowns, but the main thing he’ll try to do is keep it fun and make sure he can connect with the youngsters. While they are the top players in the country in their age group, they also are at the relative beginning of their hockey journey, and Caruso said he hopes to use his experience coaching players in this age group to his advantage.
“(The coaching staff feels) comfortable that I could bring that energy and that ability to help coach these young athletes that I’ve coached the last however many years,” Caruso said. “I think that’s an important piece is connecting to the 15-year-old. You don’t have to be the most technical coach. You don’t have to be the best goalie coach in the world.
"You just need to be able to connect with these young athletes and be able to help the athletes on the team and bring that attitude and bring that support for Team USA.”
The tournament will begin Sunday for Team USA when it takes on Slovakia, with a second preliminary round game Monday vs. Czechia. Semifinals are then Tuesday, with the gold medal game scheduled for Wednesday.
When it’s all said and done, Caruso hopes to return to Columbus as a champion, but no matter what happens, the opportunity to represent his country is one he doesn’t take for granted.
“You want to give your all for the United States,” Caruso said. “I think it’s really, really cool to have that logo, that Team USA, on your shirt."
