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President Donald Trump spoke to the United States men’s hockey team and invited them to his State of the Union address following their gold medal victory over Canada at the Winter Olympics.
U.S. Olympian Matthew Tkachuk reflected on the president’s phone call as he arrived at Miami International Airport a day after the team won a gold medal.
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U.S. hockey player Matthew Tkachuk signs autographs after arriving at Miami International Airport from the Milan Cortina Olympic Games, Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)
“It was great,” he told reporters as he entered the terminal. “It’s an honor to listen to the President of the United States. To hear that he was supporting us and all the other athletes who wanted us to bring home as many gold medals as we can. We are definitely honored to represent him and the hundreds of millions of people across the country and bring back a gold medal.”
The Florida Panthers star was also asked if winning a gold medal compared to winning the Stanley Cup.
Matthew Tkachuk (19) of the United States celebrates after the United States defeated Canada in a men’s ice hockey gold medal game between Canada and the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
Tkachuk and the Panthers are back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. He noted that the main difference was what the victory meant for the country as a whole.
“It’s almost more meaningful to everyone else in the sense that it’s a way to bring the entire country together,” he said. “When you go through the grind of two months and 82 games in the NHL season, you can’t compare that. It’s as difficult a trophy as what you’re going to win in sports, the Stanley Cup.
“But when it comes to bringing Americans together, whether they like hockey or not, the Olympics, an Olympic hockey player at that stage against Canada, that’s about as high as you can go.”
Matthew Tkachuk (19) of the United States celebrates after the United States defeated Canada in a men’s ice hockey gold medal game between Canada and the United States at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, in Milan, Italy, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek)
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Tkachuk did not confirm whether the team will be at the State of the Union, but suggested they will party in Miami on Monday night and then head to DC on Tuesday.
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