Gold medalist Team USA during the victory ceremony following the Ice Hockey Men Final between United States and Canada on day sixteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February 22, 2026 in Milan …
The U.S. Men’s hockey team won its first Olympic gold since 1980 over the weekend.
It was an exciting and emotional day that helped mark the end of the Olympic run, and also paid tribute to the late Johnny Gaudreau.
State of the Union
What they're saying:
FOX News is reporting that President Donald Trump invited the team to his State of the Union speech in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday.
FBI Director Kash Patel was in the locker room with the team as they celebrated the win. He held a phone up to the players on speakerphone in order for Trump to deliver his message.
"I’ll tell you what. I just told my people two minutes ago, I didn’t know they’d be calling, I said we’re giving the State of the Union speech on Tuesday night," Trump reportedly said. "I can send a military plane or something, but if you would like to, it’s the coolest night, it’s the biggest speech …"
One player cut off Trump and said, "We’re in."
"We’ll get Kash, and we’ll get the military to get you guys over," Trump continued. "You won’t have to worry about the weather or landing. We don’t care if it’s snowing or if it’s the worst blizzard – we’ll be sailing through like you did on the ice."
RELATED: State of the Union address 2026: What to expect in Trump’s speech
What's next:
Trump’s State of the Union speech is set for 9 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
US Men’s hockey win
The backstory:
The United States defeated Canada 2–1 in overtime to capture its first Olympic men’s hockey gold medal since the "Miracle on Ice" team triumphed in 1980.
RELATED: US tops Canada 2–1 in OT for 1st Olympic men’s hockey gold since 1980
Jack Hughes teeth
Meanwhile:
Jack Hughes lost some teeth before he won Olympic gold for the U.S. He took a stick to the mouth from Sam Bennett in the third period.
The 24-year-old Hughes is a forward for the New Jersey Devils in the NHL. He scored past Canadian goalie Jordan Binnington after a little more than 1 1/2 minutes of extra time.
Johnny Gaudreau tribute
Team USA pose for a team photo with Johnny Gaudreau's children during the Ice Hockey Men's Gold Medal Game match between Canada and USA on day sixteen of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena on February …
Big picture view:
Johnny Gaudreau's No. 13 jersey was hanging in the U.S. locker room throughout the Olympics, and Dylan Larkin and Matthew Tkachuk carried it around the ice after their win Sunday.
The oldest two of Johnny and Meredith Gaudreau's three children were in attendance, along with their grandparents, Guy and Jane, and they got to be part of the celebration. Larkin and Werenski brought 3-year-old Noa and 2-year-old Johnny Jr. on the ice for the team photo, which also had Gaudreau's jersey in it. To a man, players said he should have been with them.
READ MORE: NHL star Johnny Gaudreau, brother struck and killed while riding bikes in New Jersey
The backstory:
An elite player a decade into his NHL career and the all-time U.S. leading scorer in international play, Johnny Gaudreau was on track to be in Milan.
He and his brother, Matthew, died in August 2024 when they were struck by an SUV while riding bicycles near their hometown in New Jersey on the eve of their sister Katie’s wedding.
What they're saying:
"He obviously would have been on this team — and been a huge part of it," forward J.T. Miller said. "A guy I grew up with and against and knew pretty well. It’s more than hockey, at that point. ... He deserved better, and he had a big part in how things went down today."
The Source: Information in this article was taken from a phone call between President Trump, Kash Patel and the hockey team, as reported by FOX News Digital. Background information was taken from previous FOX Television Station reportings and The Associated Press. This story was reported from Detroit.