A standout goaltender who helped Team USA capture Olympic gold in Milan will soon receive the nation’s highest civilian honor.
During Tuesday’s State of the Union address, President Donald Trump revealed that Connor Hellebuyck, the Winnipeg Jets netminder who starred for the U.S. men’s hockey team, will be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
The announcement came after twenty members of the gold medal-winning squad visited the White House earlier Tuesday before attending the State of the Union as special guests.
Trump asked the assembled players whether they supported giving Hellebuyck the prestigious award.
“I said, ‘I’m not giving it if anyone goes no,’” the president said. “And every single one of them rapidly put up their hand. So I want to thank you all. What a special job you did. What special champions you are.”
The president also praised the goaltender’s exceptional performance, stating: “I’ve never seen a goaltender play as well as goalie Connor Hellebuyck.”
Hellebuyck, who was present among the Olympic delegation, responded by touching his heart and waving to acknowledge the honor.
During his remarks, Trump celebrated the team’s achievement as part of America’s return to winning ways.
“Our country is winning again. In fact, we’re winning so much that we really don’t know what to do about it. People are asking me — please, please, please Mr. President, we’re winning too much. We can’t take it anymore. We’re not used to winning in our country. Until you came along, we’re just always losing, but now, we’re winning too much,” Trump said.
“And I say, no no no. You’re going to win again. You’re going to win big. You’re gonna win bigger than ever, and to prove that point — to prove that point — here with us tonight is a group of winners who just made the entire nation proud: the men’s gold medal Olympic hockey team.”
Following the president’s introduction, the team members entered through the upper doors of the House chamber to enthusiastic applause from both sides of the aisle.
The 32-year-old Michigan native delivered a masterful performance in the championship game, stopping 41 shots as the United States defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to claim gold. Hellebuyck brings impressive credentials to his Olympic triumph, having won the NHL’s Vezina Trophy three times for best goaltender and currently holding the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player.
While the men’s team accepted the White House invitation, the gold medal-winning women’s hockey squad declined to attend, explaining they had “timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments.”
Trump mentioned during his speech that the women’s team “will soon be coming to the White House.”
Hellebuyck will join a distinguished group of recent athletic Medal of Freedom recipients, including gymnast Simone Biles and soccer star Megan Rapinoe in 2022, swimmer Katie Ledecky and legendary athlete Jim Thorpe posthumously in 2024, and basketball icon Magic Johnson and soccer superstar Lionel Messi in 2025.
The medal’s athletic honorees throughout history include golf legend Tiger Woods, baseball great Babe Ruth, basketball icon Michael Jordan, tennis pioneer Billie Jean King, boxing champion Muhammad Ali, golf’s Arnold Palmer, tennis trailblazer Arthur Ashe, and baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson.
