U.S men’s hockey team feted at State of the Union; Hellebuyck to receive Presidential Medal of Freedom

U.S. President Donald Trump announces U.S. Olympic men's hockey team goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

WASHINGTON — The Olympic gold medal-winning U.S. men’s hockey team visited U.S. 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.

Trump also announced that the women’s hockey team — which also defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to win gold — will “soon” visit the White House. The women’s team declined an invitation to attend the State of the Union due to the timing of the address.

Men’s players entered the U.S. 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.

“I want to thank you all,” Trump told the players. “What a special job you did. What special champions you are.”

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.

Videos and photos shared on social media by Trump administration aides showed the hockey players posing for a photograph in front of the South Portico. They walked along the West Wing colonnade where Trump has posted portraits of every U.S. president just steps away from the Oval Office, where they were welcomed by Trump.

As they approached the Oval Office, some of the players popped into the press office’s open door to flash the medals from their 2-1 overtime win over Canada on Sunday at the Milan Cortina Olympics. It was the Americans’ first gold medal in men’s hockey since the “Miracle on Ice” in Lake Placid, N.Y., in 1980.

Staffers applauded and shouted, “We love you!”

“I recognize every one of you. I know every one of you,” Trump said as the players entered the Oval Office, which he has redecorated with numerous flourishes of gold that matched the players’ medals.

“Big guys,” he said, standing near his desk and shaking hands with the players, who wore dark tops with “USA,” the American flag and the Olympic rings on the front and light-coloured pants.

For forward Matthew Tkachuk, the trip to the White House was becoming a regular visit.

“Good to see you again,” Tkachuk told Trump, as the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion made his third White House trip in just over 12 months. For some of the approximately 20 players who made the trip, this was a first.

Tkachuk, who won those Cups with the Florida Panthers, posted pictures on social media of members of the team celebrating on what appears to be a U.S. government plane and a group shot of them deplaning at Joint Base Andrews.

The team chartered into Miami on a flight from Italy on Monday, and then dined together in Miami Beach and visited a nightclub where hundreds of fans clamored to get inside. They were also given a heroes’ welcome at Miami International Airport.

“Our sport just got the biggest stage in the world of sport,” Panthers general manager Bill Zito, an assistant GM for the Olympic team, said Tuesday. “That’s wonderful. And we need to celebrate it.”

AP White House reporter Seung Min Kim and AP Sports Writer Tim Reynolds in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., contributed to this report.

By Darlene Superville, The Associated Press