Not since NHL players started going to the Olympics 12 years ago has the U. S. team featured so many fresh faces.

Of the 23 players chosen Friday for next month’s games, only New York Rangers captain Chris Drury, New Jersey counterpart Jamie Langenbrunner and Detroit defenseman Brian Rafalski have Olympic experience.

Aging stalwarts such as Mike Modano, Bill Guerin, Keith Tkachuk and Scott Gomez will all be able to rest during the long break in February because they were left off the team that will head to Vancouver.

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ryan Miller was selected, while teammate Paul Gaustad was not.

Among those joining Miller on the team are South Buffalo native Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks and Pittsburgh defenseman Brooks Orpik, the East Amherst product.

The infusion of up-and- coming players is hardly a surprise. Team USA General Manager Brian Burke made it clear last summer it was time to turn the page on those who represented the United States time and time again.

“We’re going there to win,” said Burke, the Toronto Maple Leafs’ GM.

“It probably is a changing of the guard with the team we have,” Kane told the Chicago Tribune. “If you look at the roster we’re a really young team. It bodes well for the future. I think people are viewing us as underdogs going into the tournament, but at the same time if you put together the right chemistry and guys get along, that can really help us . . . go a long way.

He thanked those “warriors” when most veterans weren’t invited to the team’s orientation camp in August. Modano, the longtime Dallas Stars forward, and Montreal’s Gomez were in attendance, but didn’t do enough during the first half of the NHL season to earn a spot on the team.

The roster announcement was made at Boston’s Fenway Park following the Bruins’ 2-1 overtime victory over Philadelphia in the Winter Classic.

“We tried to pick a team based on the body of work, rather than how a team is playing now,” Burke said. “We tried not [to] penalize players off to a slow start.”

The average age is 26.5 years. Rafalski is the oldest player at 36, while the 21-year-old Kane is the youngest. That is quite a change from the former foundation that included then-44-year-old defenseman Chris Chelios four years ago.

“It feels real good right now,” Kane said. “All of my friends and family back home are really excited. It’s a dream come true. It’s the Olympics we’re talking about. It’s probably the highest stage of hockey you can play and highest competition level too.”

Modano played in three Olympics, and Gomez was on the team for the 2006 Turin Games. Langenbrunner will be making his second appearance, but first since 1998, and will be joined by Devils teammates defenseman Paul Martin and forward Zach Parise.