US hockey teams celebrated at White House after historic gold medal victories
US Olympic hockey teams are celebrated for achieving a historic milestone as both the men’s and women’s teams won gold medals. The victories over Canada included an overtime thriller for the men’s team featuring a golden goal by Jack Hughes and 41 saves by MVP Connor Hellebuyck. Women’s key contributors Abbey Murphy and Joy Dunne were also honored for their historic championship run.
USA Olympic hockey hero Connor Hellebuyck made his return to his former Canadian home on Tuesday night, and Winnipeg Jets fans let him hear it.
The star goaltender, who stopped 41 of Team Canada’s 42 shots en route to winning gold, requested a trade from the Jets and landed with the New Jersey Devils last month, teaming him up with Jack Hughes, who scored the golden goal back in February.
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The Devils made the controversial decision to not have Hellebuyck in net, citing a potential “reduction in our expected win probability.”
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Connor Hellebuyck No. 37 of the New Jersey Devils stretches during warm-ups against the Winnipeg Jets at Canada Life Centre on Nov. 10, 2026, in Winnipeg, Canada. (Getty Images)
Hellebuyck, though, was the backup for the night and still took the ice for warmups and got the wrath of the Jets faithful.
He was hit with chants, some explicit, from “coward” and “We don’t miss you” to “Trump’s your daddy” — President Donald Trump singled out Hellebuyck in his phone call with the team after winning gold and announced he would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Hellebuyck insisted that he felt it was his “duty” to play, but the front office had other decisions.
Goalkeeper Connor Hellebuyck of United States celebrates winning the gold medal during the Ice Hockey Men’s Gold Medal Game match between Canada and USA on day sixteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on Feb. 22, 2026 in Milan, Italy. (Andrea Branca/Eurasia Sport Images)
TEAM USA HERO CONNOR HELLEBUYCK SAYS THAT MOMENTS BEYOND ONLINE DEATH THREATS LED TO HIS WINNIPEG DEPARTURE
Hellebuyck was somewhat mum on his reasons for wanting a trade aside from joining a team he views as a contender, but that changed on Tuesday.
Hellebuyck said there was no single moment that led to him wanting out, and that some off-ice issues played into it, saying he had faced “more than online death threats.”
Dawson Mercer, who was sent to the Jets from the Devils in the trade, put two pucks past Jake Allen to help Winnipeg win, 3-2. Nico Daws, also now a former Devil, was in net for the Jets.
Jack Hughes and Connor Hellebuyck celebrate Team United States’ gold medal victory over Canada in the men’s ice hockey final at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena in Milan, Italy, on Feb. 22, 2026. (EyesWideOpen/Getty Images)
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The gold medal was USA’s first in men’s hockey since the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team.
OutKick’s Matt Reigle contributed to this report.
