Trump sticks to hockey in honoring Cup champion Pens

WASHINGTON » After adding to the uproar over NFL players who protest during the national anthem, President Donald Trump mostly stuck to hockey in honoring 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.

Trump has grabbed a number of sports headlines in recent weeks, including his criticism of NFL players for kneeling during the anthem and his decision to disinvite the NBA champion Golden State Warriors from the White House for the type of championship visit made by the Penguins, the New England Patriots and the Chicago Cubs along with Clemson football team.

“Everybody wanted to be here today,” Trump said of the Penguins. “And I know why.”

Hours after tweeting that the tax code should be changed to punish NFL teams over the anthem issue, Trump joked that Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle should help him renegotiate NAFTA but largely avoided any talk about other sports.

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

Crosby has said on multiple occasions that the team’s decision to go to the White House was not politically motivated. 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. “Nobody’s choosing a side. Nobody’s taking a stand. We are simply honoring our championship and the accomplishments of this group of players over this season or the last two seasons.”

Of the 18 players who won the Cup last season and are still with the Penguins, seven are American: Kessel, Ian Cole, Brian Dumoulin, Jake Guentzel, Bryan Rust, Chad Ruhwedel and Conor Sheary. Crosby and six others are Canadian, two are Swedish, one is Russian and one is Finnish.

Trump congratulated the Penguins for being the first back-to-back Cup champions since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 and 1998, complimented co-owner Mario Lemieux’s golf game and drew boos when he referenced Pittsburgh’s upcoming game against the rival Washington Capitals. He said he expected the Penguins to be back at the White House next year.

“This is really a truly great group of world champions,” Trump said. “That’s what they are. They’re world champions.”

SUSAN WALSH — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Penguins owner Ronald Burkle, third from left, as first lady Melania Trump, center in green, watches, with Mario Lemieux during a ceremony to honor the 2017 Stanley Cup champion Penguins Tuesday at the White House.