Don La Greca, the play-by-play announcer for the New Jersey Devils, shared his thoughts on the recent victory of the U.S. men’s hockey team, which won its first gold medal since 1980. He seemed to appreciate Jack Hughes, a player he watches regularly, but he also defended him and the team against political biases. La Greca even joked about nearly deleting his social media after the victory, emphasizing that Hughes was simply scoring for the U.S., not for any political faction.
On the ESPN New York radio show, he said, “I’m not from either side. Both sides are embarrassed… He’s just a hockey player who wants to score goals. That’s all he cares about. And he loves being American.”
However, some listeners had their opinions. One caller criticized the men’s team for laughing in a moment where President Trump suggested inviting the women’s team to the State of the Union address. La Greca responded to that sentiment, mentioning the timing of the discussion felt off. “We can’t do good. Is that what you want to believe? It’s ridiculous,” he said, expressing his frustration.
The conversation shifted to Kash Patel’s unexpected presence in the locker room, which La Greca argued was being unfairly represented. He pointed out that many players didn’t even know who Patel was, insisting it wasn’t right to assume they were engaging in any political agenda just because he was there.
La Greca elaborated that the narrative around the men’s laughter was being manipulated, questioning the motivations behind the claims. He seemed to argue that some people want to push their agendas—whether it be to cast men as sexist or to emphasize the women’s role in sports—regardless of the actual context.
After the game, Hughes reflected on the victory, mentioning his admiration for Megan Keller, who scored the golden goal for the women’s team just days prior. His brother Quinn also shared his positive experience with the women’s team, noting the mutual support they provided each other in the Olympic Village.
The women’s team, facing scheduling conflicts, decided to decline an invitation to Washington, D.C. Meanwhile, several players from the men’s team were set to attend after a celebratory time in Miami. The NHL season is expected to pick back up on Wednesday.
