5 hours ago
4
The victorious US Olympic men’s ice hockey team visited the White House on Tuesday, although there were several notable absences.
Donald Trump invited the team to celebrate in Washington DC after they beat Canada in a dramatic Olympic final on Sunday. He also invited the US women’s team, who declined citing “timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments”.
“I recognize every one of you. I know every one of you,” Trump said as he welcomed the players to the Oval Office. The president then shook their hands. “Big guys,” he said.
While most of the team attended, five of the 25 members of the roster were absent: Brock Nelson, Jackson LaCombe, Jake Guentzel, Jake Oettinger and Kyle Connor. Nelson, Lacombe, Guentzel and Oettinger were born in Minnesota or spent large parts of their upbringing there. The state has been the site of a severe immigration crackdown by the Trump administration.
Connor, who plays for the Winnipeg Jets in Canada, said he had skipped the White House meeting as he wanted to concentrate on the rest of the NHL season, which resumes on Wednesday.
“I’m just getting ready. We play on Wednesday,” he told the Athletic. “It’s a big second half so I just wanted to make sure I was ready.”
The other players who were absent are members of teams scheduled to play on Wednesday.
Quinn Hughes, Matt Boldy and Brock Faber, who play for the Minnesota Wild, were in attendance alongside Jack Hughes, who scored the winner in Sunday’s final and Charlie McAvoy. Jack Hughes and McAvoy have voiced support for social causes that the Trump administration has pushed back on.
On Tuesday, Quinn Hughes said the US players were “excited to go” to the White House.
“It’s not something you get to do every Tuesday,” he told Good Morning America. “It’s going to be special for us.”
The US men’s gold medal was their first since the Miracle on Ice at the 1980 Winter Olympics. The US women’s gold was their first since 2018.
