Matthew Tkachuk returns to White House after Olympic gold, lets Trump wear his medal
Matthew Tkachuk’s Olympic celebration with Team USA’s men’s hockey team ended in the same spot as his two Stanley Cup championships with the Florida Panthers: In Washington, D.C., and more specifically at the White House.
President Donald Trump invited the team for a visit to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and to attend his State of the Union address on Tuesday, two days after they beat Canada 2-1 in overtime in Milan at the 2026 Winter Olympics for the United States’ first gold medal in men’s hockey since the Miracle on Ice team did so in 1980.
“It’s absolutely insane, but we deserve it,” Tkachuk said Tuesday on Fox News. “We really pride ourselves on being true Americans that would do anything it takes for this country and to win, and I’m so proud of the guys and I’m so proud to be able to compete with them.”
Tkachuk was front and center on the Panthers’ two visits to the White House each of the past two seasons. It was more of the same on Tuesday with Team USA, with 20 of the 25 players on the team making the trip.
During the team’s time inside the Oval Office, Tkachuk gave Trump his gold medal to wear.
“I’m not giving it back,” Trump said in a video posted to social media by special assistant to the president and communications advisor Margo Martin.
“I’ll trade you that for a pen,” Tkachuk replied.
“That’s cool,” Trump then said.
Trump gave the hockey team a shout out during the State of the Union, calling them “special champions” and also awarding goaltender Connor Hellebuyck with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
“The second the boots hit the ground back here in the U.S., we could feel how many millions of people were tuning in and supporting us, and just loving how we represented them,” said Tkachuk, who had six assists in six games for Team USA at the Olympics. “We were kind of America’s team there for a bit. And we could feel it across the Atlantic and we just appreciate everybody’s support. And it was truly amazing just to represent the greatest country in the world at that stage. It’s all of our dreams to win a Stanley Cup and win an Olympic gold, and for us to be able to do that for the United States of America, it’s just one of the greatest honors you could ever have.”
Trump called the team after the gold medal game to congratulate them and formally invite them to the White House.
Tkachuk on Monday, after arriving at Miami International Airport following an 11-hour flight back from Milan, said it was “super cool” and “an honor” to hear from Trump after the game.
“Hearing that he was supporting us and all the other athletes and wanting us all to bring home as many gold medals we can,” Tkachuk said. “We’re definitely honored to represent him and the hundreds of millions across the country and bringing a gold medal back again.”
It was the final piece of celebration for the team, although Tkachuk did make a stop at the Elbo Room on Fort Lauderdale Beach on Wednesday upon returning to South Florida. Team USA had dinner together in Miami’s Design District and partied at Miami nightclub E11even on Monday before boarding what appeared to be a U.S. government plane that took them to Joint Base Andrews on Tuesday.
The NHL season resumes Wednesday, with the Panthers getting back into action on Thursday at home against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“Our sport just got the biggest stage in the world of sport,” Panthers president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito, who also served as an assistant GM for the Olympic team, said Tuesday. “That’s wonderful. And we need to celebrate it.”
Trump also announced during the speech that the United States women’s hockey team, which also defeated Canada in overtime to win gold at the Olympics, will “soon” visit the White House. The women’s team had declined an invitation to attend the State of the Union due to the timing of the address.
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