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NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman defended the United States men’s hockey team for its reactions when President Donald Trump spoke about the women’s team after their gold medal at the Milan Cortina Games.
While on the phone with the men’s team after beating Canada to win gold, Trump said he “should” invite the women’s team, which also beat Canada to win Olympic gold, to last week’s State of the Union address. He added that he “would probably be removed” if he did not invite the women’s team.
Members of both teams said they supported each other throughout the Olympics, and Bettman agreed with that sentiment.
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NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman speaks to the media before a game between the Edmonton Oilers and the Ottawa Senators at the Canadian Tire Centre. (Marc DesRosiers/Imagn Images)
“I know for a fact that the men’s team had no intention of doing anything that would offend the women’s team,” Bettman said Tuesday via Sportsnet. “On the contrary, both teams were chanting ‘Two for two’.
“What happened and how it was portrayed, I wish it hadn’t happened that way, and I think it was unfair to the men’s team. And again, I don’t think the women’s team had a different take on it. I mean, look at (U.S. women’s captain) Hilary Knight and others talking about what happened. Those two teams respected each other.”
Jeremy Swayman, the men’s team’s backup goalie, admitted the team “should have reacted differently” to Trump’s comments. But he, Jack and Quinn Hughes all spoke highly of the women’s team and their relationship with them.
Megan Keller (5) of the United States and Hannah Bilka (23) of the United States celebrate after winning the gold medal in the women’s ice hockey after defeating Canada during the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 19, 2026. (Amber Searls/Imagn Images)
Jack Hughes told reporters After his gold medal goal, the first thing he thought of when the puck went in was Megan Keller, who scored the U.S. women’s team’s golden goal against Canada three days earlier.
The mother of the brothers, Ellen, a former Team USA player and current member of the player development team, said the players only cared about “bringing[ing] so much unity for a group and for a country.
The gold medalists of the U.S. men’s hockey team angered liberal pundits and news organizations even though they captivated the nation with their Olympic feat. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)
Knight and Megan Keller, who scored the women’s golden goal, joined the Hughes brothers on last weekend’s “Saturday Night Live.”
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