U.S. President Donald Trump made headlines Tuesday morning not for trade policy or diplomacy—but for a sudden hockey-themed detour during a press conference with Canada’s new prime minister, Mark Carney.
Speaking from the Oval Office in their first joint appearance since Carney’s election on April 28, Trump fielded questions on cross-border tensions and the recent tariff war.
But when asked what he wanted most from Canada, the two-term president unexpectedly pivoted to hockey—and Alex Ovechkin.
“Concession? Friendship,” Trump initially responded.
When pressed further, he elaborated: “Regardless of anything, we’re going to be friends with Canada... You have a very, very good hockey player right here on the Capitals. He is a big, tough cookie too. Just broke the record, and he’s a great guy.”
Trump: "I love Canada. I have a lot of respect for the Canadians...You happen to have a very, very good hockey player right here on the Capitals, he is a big tough cookie too, just broke the record."
— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline) May 6, 2025
Alex Ovechkin is Russian. pic.twitter.com/kMvyj7YmZP
Trump was referring to Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin, who recently passed Wayne Gretzky’s NHL all-time goals record with his 895th goal—a major milestone achieved exactly one month earlier at UBS Arena.
While Trump didn’t explicitly call Ovechkin Canadian, social media users noted the potential mix-up, pointing out that the Capitals legend is Russian.
The moment quickly drew reactions on X (formerly Twitter), with many blasting Trump for confusing Ovechkin's nationality.
What a clueless moron
— RandyLand65 (@1965Randy) May 6, 2025
MAGA this is your cult leader. What a joke.
— Jenny 🇨🇦🇺🇸 (@shindig101) May 6, 2025
he is from russia you big dummy
— Justin (@justinsh0w) May 6, 2025
Does this shidiot think Ovechkin is Canadian? 😂
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) May 6, 2025
The hockey nod wasn’t entirely random. Trump has a long-standing fondness for the Capitals. He hosted their 2018 Stanley Cup championship team at the White House in March 2019 and previously referenced Ovechkin during campaign rallies.
More recently, he was spotted at his Sterling, Virginia golf club on April 19 alongside Capitals forward TJ Oshie and Elon Musk, head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Oshie, a noted Trump supporter, has not played this NHL season.
Carney, a former central banker, appeared unfazed by the hockey tangent, maintaining his diplomatic tone throughout the event.
While the meeting aimed to cool rising tensions over trade and sovereignty rhetoric—including Trump’s suggestion that Canada could become the 51st U.S. state—it ended on an oddly light-hearted note, with puck talk stealing the spotlight.
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