Brady Tkachuk addressed the post gold medal phone call that followed the United States men’s hockey team’s Olympic win over Canada, describing the moment as chaotic and saying the players were not in a position to manage what was said during the conversation.
After practice Thursday in Ottawa, the Ottawa Senators captain was asked about the phone call with President Donald Trump that took place shortly after Team USA’s overtime victory in the Milan Cortina men’s hockey gold medal game. Tkachuk said, “I don’t really have an answer.” He added, “Honestly, it was just a whirlwind of a moment. You can’t really control what somebody says. It just caught [us] off guard a little bit.”
Tkachuk described the timing as part of what made the call unusual. “When you’re talking to the president 10 minutes after achieving your dream, the fact you’re talking to him, you can really believe where your life’s at…talkng to the President of the United States.”
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The call happened shortly after the Americans beat Canada for gold and was conducted through the phone of FBI director Kash Patel, who was in the room with the team during the celebration, according to the account of the incident. During the call, Trump invited the men’s team to the White House and asked the players to attend the State of the Union address. He also told the group he would invite the U.S. women’s team, which also beat Canada to win gold.
One comment from that call became a flashpoint. “I must tell you,” Trump said. “We’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that? … I do believe I probably would be impeached.” The account said the remark drew some laughter in the room and was followed by backlash.
The reaction from the women’s side arrived publicly the next day. Speaking at a Seattle Torrent news conference Thursday, U.S. women’s captain Hilary Knight criticized Trump’s remarks, calling them “distasteful” and “unfortunate.” Knight said, “Just the way women are represented,” and added, “It’s a great teaching point to really shine light on how women should be championed for their amazing feats. Now, I have to sort of sit, and anybody has to sit in front of you and explain someone else’s behavior. It’s not my responsibility.”
Tkachuk also addressed another piece of viral fallout tied to the call. Online speculation swirled around the identity of the player who shouted, “Close the northern border,” during the conversation. Tkachuk said he was not the person who made the comment and said the voice did not match his. “I’ve been seeing stuff that people think it’s me,” Tkachuk said. “But if you watch the video, it’s not my voice and something that I never say…I don’t know how that took a storm on its own…I give everything I have here. I just think that’s something that thought would never pop into my head, especially would never say it.”
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He continued: “It’s crazy when things go on social media, how fast they go…I would never say anything like that.”
Most of the U.S. men’s team attended the State of the Union on Tuesday, including Brady Tkachuk and his brother Matthew. The women’s team was invited but declined “due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments.”
The comments from Tkachuk came as the U.S. team’s Olympic win continues to generate attention beyond the ice. The United States defeated Canada in overtime in the gold medal game to claim its first men’s Olympic hockey title since 1980, and the celebration that followed has remained a talking point as players return to their NHL clubs and resume regular season schedules.
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