Penguins ‘incredible patriots,’ Trump says

WHITE HOUSE VISIT

WASHINGTON • U.S. President Donald Trump mostly stuck to hockey in honouring the Stanley Cup-winning Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, calling them “true champions and incredible patriots.”

Trump welcomed the Penguins into the Oval Office and celebrated their second consecutive championship in the East Room of the White House. He singled out the achievements of playoff MVP Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel, among others.

“Everybody wanted to be here today,” Trump said of the Penguins.

“It’s been an honour to have them all here,” Trump said.

Crosby has said on multiple occasions the team’s decision to go to the White House was not politically motivated. Head coach Mike Sullivan said the Penguins understand the circumstances of their visit and that he didn’t feel like Trump was using them as a political prop.

“We’ve stated clearly from the get-go that our visit to the White House is not political,” Sullivan said.

Of the 18 players who won the Cup last season and are still with the team, seven are American, six are Canadian, two are Swedish, one is Russian and one is Finnish.

Sullivan, the only member of the team who spoke to reporters after the visit, said “zero” politics came up with Trump behind closed doors.