The Olympic gold medal-winning U.S. men’s hockey team visited President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday afternoon and later received about a two-minute bipartisan standing ovation during his State of the Union address that night.
Men’s players entered the House chamber through two sets of doors and walked down the rows of the press gallery. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle not only stood and cheered but chanted “USA!” several times, many even pumping fists.
Rep. Lisa McClain, the Republican House Conference Chair, shouted “Love you!” to the players.
Trump also said goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who stopped 41 shots in the gold medal game, will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honour. Hellebuyck, who plays for the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets, tapped his heart as those in the chamber applauded.
Honestly, seeing these players, as a Canadian, I’m even less interested in supporting the NHL in anyway shape or form.
I mean, I’d say I wasn’t going to go to any game in which an overt supporter of a fascist regime was going to play, as I didn’t want my cash going towards that sorta stuff… but I already don’t give a shit about hockey. And the idea of a ‘national’ league in which its two nations, that shit should get put in the past given their overtures of conquest.