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The American hockey team's visit to the White House caused quite a stir.
Following the men's gold medal win at the Olympics, President Donald Trump invited the players to visit Washington.
The emphasis was not on the other American gold medalists or the women who won gold in hockey (they received their invitations by default and declined to attend): it was on the guys who won gold in hockey.
The result: Trump found a way to divide. After all, some players on the U.S. team declined to travel to Washington to meet with the president. Meeting with the U.S. president after a victory used to be less controversial and didn't create as much discomfort.
Kyle Connor on the President's joke about inviting the women. We just won the gold medal and things are going on so I don't really remember what he said. It's such a whirlwind, just celebrating.”
— Murat Ates (@WPGMurat) February 24, 2026
Yesterday evening, during his State of the Union address, the US president brought hockey back to the forefront. He decided to award Connor Hellebuyck the highest American civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Donald Trump made the announcement last night.
.@POTUS announces that Team USA Gold Medal Hockey hero Connor Hellebuyck will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom
pic.twitter.com/ukNLhjSmoh
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) February 25, 2026
The goalie for the Winnipeg Jets, a Canadian team, is not the first athlete to receive such an honor. But let's just say it doesn't happen every day.
Is it a coincidence that Donald Trump chose to award it to a player who helped the Americans beat Canada in THE sport Canadians love most? I don't believe in coincidences.
I'm not saying that Hellebuyck doesn't deserve recognition, because it's true that he saved his team at the best possible moment. However, it's impossible to separate sports and politics… which has been proven once again in recent days.
It was Sunday morning's defeat that hurt the Canadiens, and that's what the president is capitalizing on.
In brief
– Read on.
— Mikaël Lalancette (@MikLalancette) February 25, 2026
Michel Bergeron draws a line under his long career. [JdeM]
Reminder: the NHL season resumes tonight.
