Which Members Of The Men’s USA Hockey Team Missed The White House Visit
Fresh off a gold medal victory that electrified American hockey fans, members of the U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team traded their skates for suits and boarded a U.S. Air Force 757 bound for Washington, D.C. Their destination: the nation’s capital for a visit to the White House and attendance at President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address.
Of the 25 players who helped secure the gold, 20 made the trip. Five returned directly to their NHL clubs as the league prepared to resume its regular season schedule on Wednesday. The compressed timeline left little room for extended celebration.
Jets winger Kyle Connor, Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger, Avalanche forward Brock Nelson, Lightning winger Jake Guentzel, and Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe opted to head back to their respective teams. There has been no indication that those decisions were politically motivated; each player cited preparation and recovery as priorities.
Connor was back on the ice Tuesday with Winnipeg, gearing up for a matchup against the Vancouver Canucks. “It’s a big second half, so I just wanted to make sure I was ready,” he told reporters, emphasizing the importance of maintaining momentum as the playoff push intensifies.
Oettinger returned to Dallas and was slated to back up Casey DeSmith in Wednesday’s contest against the Seattle Kraken, according to a Stars spokesperson. Guentzel remained in Tampa to rest ahead of the Lightning’s midweek game, while LaCombe traveled back to Southern California to rejoin the Ducks. Nelson returned to Denver with his family and was expected to meet the Avalanche in Salt Lake City for their game against the Mammoth.
Meanwhile, the majority of the team embraced the ceremonial spotlight. After celebrating their championship win in South Beach, players arrived in Washington Tuesday morning. The invitation came directly from President Trump during a postgame phone call following Team USA’s victory over Canada in the gold medal game.
Images and videos from the White House visit quickly circulated online. In one widely shared clip, forward Matthew Tkachuk handed President Trump his gold medal, allowing the president to briefly wear it before posing for photographs in the Oval Office alongside the team.
The visit blended sport and statecraft in a manner long familiar in American tradition: championship teams recognized at the White House, athletic triumph intersecting with national pride. For the players in attendance, it was a rapid transition from Olympic ice to political pageantry.