WASHINGTON — Joe Biden, honoring the NHL’s achievements Monday, stayed out of politics Tampa Bay LightningThe Stanley Cup was won in each of the previous two seasons.
In rare sports breaks amid his administration’s response in Ukraine to Russia’s war, the president made jokes about captains. Steven StamkosBiden mentioned first lady Jill Biden’s attendance last year at a vaccination event at Lightning’s arena. Biden didn’t mention any other players when he spoke about the team winning a championship in an empty building within a quarantined zone and another in a packed home at Tampa.
Russian Andrei Vasilevskiy, Nikita Kucherov Mikhail SergachevThe White House was attended by many people who also shared photos via social media. There were no obvious absences. A few Lightning players who had departed the team or retired made appearances.
The team traveled to Washington, DC just for this occasion. This was eight months after they had already visited the capital. Washington CapitalsThis season, the Lightning flew twice. After playing at the, Sunday night saw The Lightning fly. Florida PanthersThey were to return home in time for the final confrontation. Columbus Blue JacketsTuesday will be their last regular season game before the playoffs.
The Lightning won three Stanley Cups in 2004, 2020, and 2021. However, this was the first time the organization visited a sitting president at White House. The lockout that occurred in the NHL in 2004-05 prevented that year’s team being allowed to go. However, the pandemic prevented this opportunity from happening until nine months after the second back-to-back championships.
Canadian Stamkos said that it had been “a long time coming.” He trusted American Ryan McDonaghMinnesota native, to speak at the ceremony on behalf of the team.