“Everybody knows the weight of competing in an Olympics and going for gold,” Keller, who is playing in her third Olympics, said. “It is something this group is ready to take on.

“All the buzz the Olympics brings, everybody is there to watch sports and watch people compete for their countries. That is the coolest feeling. When you land, you can feel it in the air. Everyone is there for the Olympics, and all eyes are on you. You just get to enjoy it and go out and compete.”

Keller was named to the U.S. Olympic Women’s Ice Hockey Team leadership group on Monday as an alternate captain. Hilary Knight will serve as captain, while Alex Carpenter was also named an alternate captain.

“Gold is always the goal,” Keller said. “We want to represent our country proudly and we have one color in mind, one medal in mind, that we want to win. Hopefully we can achieve that. That's everybody's dream, and everybody's goal is to bring back gold for our country.”

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Carpenter, who is competing in her third Olympics, encourages her teammates to remember the stage may be grander, but the game remains the same.

“Obviously enjoy the moment, but it is still hockey,” Carpenter said. “It is still a hockey game, and you know how to play it. You’ve done it all your life. The lights may be a little more brighter, and a lot more eyes might be on the game, but at the end of the day you know how to play and it’s a very special moment.”

Winning a gold medal is a dream that Keller is thankful to have accomplished in 2018 at the Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea  – the last time the U.S. claimed gold in women’s hockey.

In fact, Keller, a Farmington Hills, Michigan, native, is one of six returning players from the 2018 team who are back for another crack at gold this month in Milan (Lee Stecklein, Cayla Barnes, Kelly Pannek, Hilary Knight and Kendall Coyne Schofield).

“What's special about the Olympics is it’s every four years,” Keller said. “You don't get a crack at it every year. It's a lot more special when you incorporate all the best athletes from around the world, across different sports. It's the pinnacle of our sport being able to participate in Olympic Games.”

Knight knows the 2026 U.S. locker room is permeating with confidence and is built for this moment.

“Everyone’s watching and tuning in, it is a lot of pressure at times. It just about alleviating that pressure and make sure everyone’s feeling at their best to play up to their greatest potential,” Knight said Tuesday after practice at Milano Rho. “We have an amazing group in that room who’ve been battle tested and we are really excited for the tournament.”

John Wroblewski, head coach of the U.S. Women's. Olympic Ice Hockey Team, wants his players to trust themselves, and their instincts, in Milan. 

"If you're white-knuckling now – if it is all about you competing and your effort – you are in trouble," he said Wednesday after practice. "There has to be a lot of muscle memory and confidence that you are ready to go out and perform, rather than just compete."

Keller, and her fellow 2018 returnees, also experienced the other side of the spectrum with a silver medal at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing.

“Coming up short in 2022 and obviously knowing the feeling of winning gold in 2018, it's pretty special to be a part of this group. Having that balance of knowing the enormity of the stage we're going to play on and representing our country, but also just having the belief in one another is really important.

“That’s what we're going to take into (the Olympics) is just having that full trust in our teammates and in this group.”

KELLER’S ADVICE FOR YOUTH HOCKEY PLAYERS

Long before Keller was playing for the U.S. Women’s Olympic Ice Hockey Team, she was building her game in Farmington Hills, Michigan, at the Suburban Ice Arena. In 2011, Keller won a 16U USA Hockey Girls Tier I National Championship.  

“Those are memories I definitely will never forget, and I owe a lot to Michigan youth hockey to getting me to where I am today,” Keller said. “My advice for all the young girls coming into hockey is enjoy it. Enjoy being around your teammates. We all play this sport because we love it and it drives us each and every day to come to the rink and be with our teammates and work for one and other. That is what we are passionate about.

“Whatever your passion may be, find it follow it and never give up.”