NHL commissioner Gary Bettman declined an opportunity Tuesday to weigh in on the political aspect of the U.S. hockey celebration at the Milan-Cortina Olympics but did say he thought what was portrayed “was unfortunate and not accurate.”
“I know for a fact that the men’s team had no intention of doing anything to slight the women’s team,” Bettman said at a media availability at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary. “If anything, both teams were chanting, ‘Two for two.”‘
The Americans won Olympic gold in the men’s and women’s tournaments. Both finals were 2-1 overtime wins over Canada.
Following the men’s victory on Feb. 22, the Americans were joined in the dressing room by FBI director Kash Patel. The players also got a speakerphone call from President Donald Trump.
During his call, Trump invited the team to attend his state of the union address two days later before adding he would have to invite the women’s team as well. He later said if he didn’t invite the women, he’d risk being impeached, which led to the players laughing at a comment many viewed as sexist.
The men spent much of last week answering questions about why some of them laughed during Trump’s joke. Many said they were caught up in the post-game celebration.
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“What happened and how it was portrayed I wish didn’t happen the way it did, and I think it was unfair to the men’s team,” Bettman said. “And again, I don’t think the women’s team had a different view of it. I mean look at [U.S. women’s captain] Hilary Knight and the others talking about what happened. These two teams respected each other.”
By all accounts, the two American hockey teams became close in the athletes’ village and supported each other’s runs to gold. The players emphasized that over the last week.
The women’s team didn’t receive a congratulatory call from the president and didn’t learn of a White House invitation until hours after the men’s game ended. The team politely declined the invitation, citing travel logistics put in place days earlier.
Several men’s players joined Trump at the White House on Feb. 24 and were later cheered at the Capitol during his speech.
Also Tuesday, Bettman was tight-lipped about potential bids to host the 2028 World Cup of Hockey.
Bettman says he’s not going to encourage speculation about which cities are looking to host the international tournament.
The World Cup of Hockey pits the world’s best players against each other under their national banners.
It hasn’t been held since 2016, when Canada defended its title from a dozen years before by beating Team Europe 2-1 in the final.
When asked whether Calgary and Edmonton were submitting a joint bid to host the event, Bettman said he was “aware of the bid.”
Bettman says he won’t provide details including whether it was a joint or independent effort and from whom.
If the tournament came to Calgary, it would arrive just after the expected completion of its new arena.
