U.S. Men’s Hockey Team Invited to State of the Union

President Donald Trump has reached out to the U.S. men’s hockey team, the recent gold medalists after their victory over Canada at the Winter Olympics. He has also extended an invitation for them to attend the upcoming State of the Union address.

Matthew Tkachuk, an American Olympian, shared his thoughts on the president’s call while arriving at Miami International Airport the day after the team’s gold medal win.

Tkachuk described the experience as “pretty cool,” noting, “It was an honor to hear from the President of the United States.” He mentioned that it felt great to have support from the president and emphasized the pride of representing both the president and the American people while bringing home a gold medal.

When asked to compare the experience of winning an Olympic gold medal to winning the Stanley Cup, Tkachuk made an interesting point. He explained that while he and the Florida Panthers have secured consecutive Stanley Cup championships, the Olympic gold carries a different weight. “For others, it makes more sense in terms of a way to bring the whole country together,” he said, referencing the significance of the Olympic games in uniting Americans.

He went on to say that the grueling nature of the NHL season—filled with its own challenges over 82 games—doesn’t quite compare to the unifying experience of competing in the Olympics. “But when it comes to connecting Americans to the Olympics, whether you like hockey or not, to have an Olympic hockey player on that stage against Canada is the best thing.”

As for whether the team would attend the State of the Union, Tkachuk didn’t provide a clear answer. He did mention that they were planning to celebrate in Miami on Monday night before heading to Washington, D.C., the following day.