Roenick Criticizes Criticism of Team USA’s Gold Medal Win

Former NHL player Jeremy Roenick expressed his discontent with those who didn’t celebrate Team USA’s gold medal victory in men’s hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

During his appearance on “Jesse Watters Prime Time,” Roenick discussed the significant impact that defeating Canada and securing the gold medal could have on U.S. Hockey. He couldn’t help but lament the backlash the team faced.

“We’re all disappointed that we couldn’t celebrate this,” Roenick stated. “Sports shouldn’t be political. They should unite the country. We should all come together around one thing. I think, perhaps, 99% of Americans on social media love sports, but then, you see how politicized they have become. That just doesn’t feel right. A lot of hypocritical opinions are surfacing, and it’s unfortunate that we can’t celebrate such significant moments in sports.”

The criticism mainly arose after the players had a phone conversation with President Donald Trump while in the locker room. Trump invited them to the State of the Union address, which excited several players.

After returning from Italy on Monday, Team USA took a bus tour around Miami’s South Beach and later dined at an upscale restaurant before partying at E11EVEN.

Roenick pointed out, “There’s going to be a lot of sagging… The hair might be pretty messy, but they’re going to represent America just like they did in Italy. They’ll show up with pride, and perhaps even give a thumbs up to the president, who I believe is doing a great job.”

“Our country has never been better, and our sport—hockey—has never been better. And that’s definitely something to be proud of.”