The U.S. men’s Olympic hockey team wrapped up their gold medal celebrations on Tuesday by going to the White House to meet President Trump and then many of them later took in the president’s State of the Union address where they were celebrated during the speech.
One player who didn’t make the trip was Jake Guentzel. The 31-year-old center, who scored one goal in six games at the Milan Cortina Olympics, decided to hang back in Florida and rejoin his NHL team, the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Guentzel spoke about his decision not to join his Olympic teammates in Washington D.C., saying he wanted to rest up and get ready for the rest of the NHL season.
"It was kind of a timing thing for me and my family. I was definitely not denying the request to go," Guentzel said. "It was a dream come true to go, I was fortunate to go in 2017 when Trump was in office.
"We've got a lot of games coming up the rest of the year, gonna be a tough schedule," he continued. "So, two weeks of Olympic break, thought it good to come home, rest and recover and try to spend some time with my family before we get going."
Before taking questions about winning a gold medal in the Olympics for @usahockey, #GoBolts’ Jake Guentzel made a statement on his decision to not go to the White House and State of the Union address. pic.twitter.com/rNvh5m2LzN
— Eduardo A. Encina (@EddieInTheYard) February 25, 2026
Guentzel has 26 goals and 34 assists on the year for the Lightning, who are tied for the most points in the Eastern Conference.
Guentzel will be back in action Wednesday night when Tampa Bay hosts Toronto.
More Winter Olympics on Sports Illustrated
- Hilary Knight Addresses Backlash Over President Trump’s Joke About Women’s Hockey Team
- Speedskater Jordan Stolz’s Path to Olympic Gold at Milan Cortina 2026
- Johnny Gaudreau’s Parents Open Up About Special Gold Medal Celebration at Winter Games
- Meet the Hairstylist Who Created Alysa Liu’s Iconic Halo Ring Look
- Travis Kelce Had Classy Message for USA Women’s Hockey’s Laila Edwards After Gold Win
This article was originally published on www.si.com as U.S. Men's Hockey Player Explains Why He Opted to Skip Team’s Trip to White House.
