(Washington) Joe Biden avoided discussing politics on Monday when he hailed the Tampa Bay Lightning’s last two Stanley Cup titles.
Updated yesterday at 5:38 p.m.
The US president took a brief break from his government’s handling of the crisis in Ukraine following the Russian invasion to highlight a sporting achievement. He notably exchanged a few jokes with captain Steven Stamkos, reminding him that he was getting old after 14 seasons in the NHL, and recalled that the first lady, Jill Biden, had participated in a massive vaccination campaign against COVID-19. at the home of the Lightning last year.
“I’m not saying that the presence of the first lady at your amphitheater during the playoffs last year allowed you to win, Biden first confided with a smile. But I remind you that she was also there during the last elections. She’s still there, in the winner’s circle. Think about it. »
Biden did not name other players in his speech highlighting the Lightning’s championship win in an empty amphitheater part of a ‘bubble’ in 2020, nor during the Floridians’ win over the Montreal Canadiens in front of a hall. packed in Tampa last year.
Russian Lightning players Andrei Vasilevskiy, Nikita Kucherov and Mikhail Sergachev all attended the White House event and shared photos on their social media. There was no shortage of headliners for the occasion, and some members of the 2020 champion squad who left or announced their retirement were in attendance.
The Lightning have therefore made a third trip to the United States capital, having faced the Washington Capitals twice earlier this season. He flew to Washington after playing the Florida Panthers on Sunday and was expected to return home in time for Tuesday’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets. It will then be one of their last games before the start of the playoffs next week.
“Everyone wanted to come, and everyone who could come — including former players and all that — all agreed to do so,” defender Ryan McDonagh said. It’s a very nice tradition: you’re part of a champion team, so you can go to the White House and meet the president. »
The Lightning have won the Stanley Cup three times — in 2004, 2020 and 2021 — but have never met the president at the White House before. The 2004-05 lockout forced the cancellation of the event, and the coronavirus pandemic had postponed the second conquest of the precious trophy in as many nine-month seasons.
Stamkos, a Canadian, said “it took a long time.” He gave the floor to McDonagh, a former Canadiens draft pick who hails from Minnesota, during the ceremony.
The Lightning are once again among the top teams in the NHL and will be looking to become the first team to win three consecutive Stanley Cups since the dynasty of the New York Islanders in the early 1980s.
“Our group is still hungry,” McDonagh said. We don’t need more motivation, but this (this event at the White House) will certainly encourage us as we enter the last week of the regular season and the start of the playoffs. »