NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman Says Team USA Men Unfairly Criticized Over Women’s Team Narrative

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman is pushing back against criticism directed at the United States men’s hockey team following a controversial moment involving President Donald Trump and the U.S. women’s national team during the Winter Olympics celebration.

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The debate emerged after Trump spoke with the men’s team following their dramatic gold medal victory over Canada at the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games. During the call, the president joked that he would “have to” invite the U.S. women’s hockey team to the State of the Union address as well after their own gold medal win.

Trump added that he would “probably be impeached” if he didn’t extend the same invitation to the women’s team.

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The moment quickly sparked discussion online and across sports media, with some critics claiming the exchange diminished the women’s accomplishment.

Bettman Says The Men’s Team Was Misrepresented

Bettman strongly rejected the idea that the men’s team intended any disrespect toward the women’s squad.

Speaking Tuesday, the NHL commissioner said the portrayal of the situation unfairly painted the men’s team in a negative light despite the close relationship between the two programs.

Bettman said he knew firsthand that the players had no intention of slighting their counterparts.

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He explained that players from both teams were openly celebrating each other’s achievements throughout the Olympic run.

According to Bettman, chants of “Two for two” echoed between the teams as they each captured gold medals for the United States.

He added that the way the situation was framed publicly did not reflect the actual relationship between the players.

Team USA Players Emphasize Mutual Respect

Members of the men’s roster have also spoken out in support of the women’s team following the controversy.

Backup goaltender Jeremy Swayman acknowledged that the team could have handled the moment differently but emphasized that there is deep respect between the two squads.

Several players highlighted how closely connected the programs are, particularly because many of the athletes have trained together or known each other for years through the national team system.

Jack Hughes, who scored the golden goal in the men’s championship win over Canada, said the first person he thought about after the puck crossed the line was U.S. women’s defenseman Megan Keller.

Just days earlier, Keller had scored the golden goal that secured the women’s gold medal victory against Canada.

Family Connections Tie The Teams Together

The relationship between the teams also runs deeper than the ice.

Jack Hughes and his brother Quinn Hughes — both members of the men’s Olympic roster — come from a family deeply connected to USA Hockey.

Their mother, Ellen Hughes, is a former Team USA player and currently works in player development for the national program.

She said the players’ primary focus throughout the Olympics was bringing unity to the locker room and pride to the country.

According to Ellen Hughes, the athletes cared far more about representing the United States together than any outside political conversation surrounding the moment.

Olympic Success Still Captivating Fans

Despite the controversy, Team USA’s historic Olympic run captivated fans across the country.

The men’s victory over Canada marked one of the most memorable moments of the tournament, while the women’s dramatic championship win continued their longstanding rivalry with the Canadians.

The celebration of both teams continued over the weekend when several players from the men’s and women’s squads appeared together on Saturday Night Live.

Women’s captain Hilary Knight and golden-goal scorer Megan Keller joined Jack and Quinn Hughes for the appearance, highlighting the bond between the two programs.

For Bettman, the joint appearance and continued support between the teams reinforced the message he believes was missed in the initial reaction.

According to the NHL commissioner, both teams share the same pride in representing the United States — and the narrative suggesting otherwise simply doesn’t reflect reality.