NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman defends USA men's team for 'unfair' portrayal of women's squad

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman defended the United States men's hockey squad for their reactions to President Donald Trump talking astir the women's squad pursuing their golden medal triumph astatine the Milan Cortina Games. 

While connected the telephone with the men's squad aft they defeated Canada to triumph gold, Trump said helium would "have" to invitation the women’s team, which besides defeated Canada to triumph Olympic gold, to past week's State of the Union address. He added that helium "probably would beryllium impeached" if helium did not widen an invitation to the women's team.

Members of some teams person said they supported each different passim the Olympics, and Bettman agreed with that sentiment.

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NHL commissioner Gary Bettman speaks to the media anterior to a crippled betwixt the Edmonton Oilers and the Ottawa Senators astatine the Canadian Tire Centre.  (Marc DesRosiers/Imagn Images)

"I cognize for a information that the men's squad had nary volition of doing thing to flimsy the women's team," Bettman said connected Tuesday, via Sportsnet. "If anything, some teams were chanting, 'Two for two.' 

"What happened and however it was portrayed, I privation didn't hap the mode it did, and I deliberation it was unfair to the men's team. And again, I don't deliberation the women's squad had a antithetic presumption of it. I mean, look astatine (U.S. women's captain) Hilary Knight and the others talking astir what happened. These 2 teams respected each other."

Jeremy Swayman, the men's team's backup goaltender, admitted the squad "should person reacted differently" to Trump's comments. But helium and Jack and Quinn Hughes each spoke highly of the women's squad and their relationships with them.

Megan Keller (5) of the United States and Hannah Bilka (23) of the United States observe aft winning the golden medal successful women's crystal hockey aft defeating Canada during the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games astatine Milan Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena connected Feb. 19, 2026. (Amber Searls/Imagn Images)

Jack Hughes told reporters aft his golden medal-winning extremity that the archetypal happening helium thought astir erstwhile the puck went successful was Megan Keller, who scored the aureate extremity for the United States women's squad against Canada 3 days earlier.

The brothers’ mother, Ellen, a erstwhile Team USA subordinate and existent subordinate improvement unit member, said the players lone cared astir "bring[ing] truthful overmuch unity to a radical and to a country."

Team USA men’s hockey golden medalists person irked wide pundits and quality organizations contempt captivating the federation with their Olympic accomplishment. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)

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Knight and Megan Keller, who scored the women's aureate goal, joined the Hughes brothers connected this past weekend's "Saturday Night Live."

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