Connor Hellebuyck remodeled himself from an NHL star right into a mainstream American hero whereas main the U.S. males’s hockey staff to the gold medal on the Milan Cortina Olympics.
The efficiency by the Winnipeg Jets goalie caught the attention of President Donald Trump, who introduced Tuesday in his State of the Union deal with that Hellebuyck would obtain the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Twenty gamers from the boys’s Olympic staff visited the White Home on Tuesday, in response to a number of media experiences, forward of being honored friends on the Capitol for the State of the Union.
Trump polled the gamers if Hellebuyck ought to get the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
“I stated, ‘I am not giving it if anybody goes no,'” the president stated. “And each single one in all them quickly put up their hand. So I need to thanks all. What a particular job you probably did. What particular champions you’re.”
Trump added, “I’ve by no means seen a goaltender play in addition to goalie Connor Hellebuyck.”
Hellebuyck, among the many Olympic contingent in attendance, tapped his coronary heart and waved.
Trump stated throughout his speech, “Our nation is successful once more. In truth, we’re successful a lot that we actually do not know what to do about it. Individuals are asking me — please, please, please Mr. President, we’re successful an excessive amount of. We won’t take it anymore. We’re not used to successful in our nation. Till you got here alongside, we’re simply at all times dropping, however now, we’re successful an excessive amount of.
“And I say, no no no. You are going to win once more. You are going to win massive. You are gonna win larger than ever, and to show that time — to show that time — right here with us tonight is a bunch of winners who simply made your entire nation proud: the boys’s gold medal Olympic hockey staff.”
Two higher doorways within the Home of Representatives then opened, and the U.S. gamers entered and had been greeted with bipartisan cheering.
Hellebuyck made 41 saves in america’ 2-1 time beyond regulation win in opposition to Canada within the gold-medal match at Milan. A 3-time winner of the NHL’s Vezina Trophy (greatest goaltender), the 32-year-old Michigan native can be the reigning winner of the Hart Trophy (league MVP).
Trump invited the gold-medal-winning U.S. ladies’s Olympic staff to the White Home and the State of the Union, however that squad declined the provide, citing “timing and beforehand scheduled tutorial {and professional} commitments.”
Throughout his speech, Trump stated the U.S. ladies’s staff “will quickly be coming to the White Home.”
Current athletes to obtain the Presidential Medal of Freedom embrace Simone Biles (2022), Megan Rapinoe (2022), Katie Ledecky (2024), Jim Thorpe (posthumously in 2024), Magic Johnson (2025) and Lionel Messi (2025).
Previous winners embrace Tiger Woods, Babe Ruth, Michael Jordan, Billie Jean King, Muhammad Ali, Arnold Palmer, Arthur Ashe and Jackie Robinson.
–Area Stage Media
