U.S. men's hockey team visits White House; five players skip event

Field Level Media
25 Feb 2026, 04:49 GMT+10

(Photo credit: Andrew Craft / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

Twenty of the 25 members of the U.S. Olympic men's hockey team visited President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday afternoon as they continued to celebrate their first gold medal since 1980.

The five players who did not attend were Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jake Guentzel, Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe, Colorado Avalanche forward Brock Nelson and Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger.

Photos and video posted by White House communications adviser Margo Martin showed the players posing wearing their medals and posing with Trump around the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office.

Later, they were scheduled to attend Trump's State of the Union address to Congress. House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters that they were finding a way to 'squeeze in' the team into Trump's speech.

The players' NHL franchises were working to arrange travel from Washington to rejoin their teams, with many back in action Wednesday night following the three-week Olympic break.

On a phone call to congratulate the men's victory in Milan, Trump was heard joking that he would be impeached if he didn't also invite the women's team, which also beat Canada in overtime to win gold, to visit the White House.

The women's team later declined an invitation from the White House, citing the academic and professional commitments of most of their athletes.

--Field Level Media

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