Stars goalie Jake Oettinger did not accept President Donald Trump’s invitation to the White House on Tuesday, a team spokesperson told The Dallas Morning News.
The president invited both the U.S. men’s and women’s Olympic hockey teams to the White House and State of the Union speech after winning gold in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. The men’s team won gold for the first time since 1980, and the women won gold for the first time since 2018.
Trump called the men’s players after their 2-1 overtime win over rival Canada in the gold medal game Sunday to invite them. At the time, he joked that he would be impeached if he did not invite the women’s team.
The women’s team declined the invitation Monday, citing scheduling conflicts.
Sports Roundup
Twenty members of the men’s team were in attendance, according to a photo posted on X by White House communications adviser Margo Martin. The only players not in attendance were Brock Nelson, Jackson LaCombe, Jake Guentzel, Kyle Connor and Oettinger, but the reasons for their absence are unclear.
Oettinger plans to return to Dallas on Tuesday, a team spokesperson said, and is expected to back up Casey DeSmith at Wednesday’s home game against the Seattle Kraken. DeSmith, the team’s backup goalie, said he learned he would start the first game back before the Olympic break began because his coaches assumed Team USA would make a deep run.
Oettinger backed up Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck for most of Team USA’s games in the Olympics, but he did not see the ice during any games in the tournament.
On Twitter/X: @Lassimak
Find more Stars coverage from The Dallas Morning News here.
