ROCHESTER, Minn. — The 2022 U.S. Men's Olympic Ice Hockey team already had a significant Minnesota presence, one that has grown even stronger with the appointment of Mayo Clinic surgeon Dr. Michael Stuart as team physician.
Stuart, a recognized orthopedic surgeon, will oversee the medical care for all players and team staff to ensure the team is ready for the games, which take place in Beijing, China from Feb. 3-20. That includes doping control testing, and making sure COVID-19 protocols are followed.
"It's obviously an honor to represent our country. And it's a special opportunity for me to be part of a team. We really do work very closely together," said Dr. Stuart in a statement released by the Mayo Clinic. "We help each other out. And so I interface on a daily basis, not only with the athletic trainers, but also with our equipment managers, our coaches and, of course, our players, as well as the entire USOPC medical team."
Aside from his work with the hockey team, Dr. Stuart will work in the medical clinic of the U.S. Coalition for the Prevention of Illness and Injury in Sport to provide care to other Olympic athletes.
This is not Stuart's first Olympic rodeo: He has served as team physician for the men's hockey team in three previous games, in 1994, 2010 and 2014. He is the chief medical and safety officer for USA Hockey, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation's medical committee and president of the Rochester Mustangs sled hockey team.
Dr. Stuart is considered an authority on complex knee problems with an emphasis on ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair. He is also a second medical opinion for the NHL and its players association.
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