Maple Leafs captain Auston Matthews is scheduled to visit the White House on Tuesday alongside the U.S. men’s hockey team, following an invitation from President Donald Trump, the team confirmed to the Star. Matthews is expected to arrive in Washington, D.C., late Tuesday morning or early afternoon and will visit the White House shortly thereafter, according to Steve Keogh, Maple Leafs vice president of media relations. Some American players are planning to stay for Trump’s State of the Union address, but Matthews likely will not.
Auston is scheduled to leave after the White House and fly to Tampa to join the team,
Keough said.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have not yet clarified whether Matthews will participate in Wednesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. An update on his status is expected Wednesday morning, according to Keogh.
The American hockey team’s White House visit has been met with widespread backlash since their overtime victory against Canada in the Milan Olympics gold medal game on Sunday. The visit came amid a series of contentious moments involving prominent figures and players since their win.
Kash Patel’s Locker Room Celebration Raises Eyebrows
FBI Director Kash Patel stirred debate after joining the U.S. men’s hockey team’s locker room celebrations following their Olympic win, appearing in a video drinking beer and pounding on a table while wearing a USA jersey. One player even draped a gold medal around Patel’s neck. This raised questions about the nature of Patel’s presence in Milan, especially after scrutiny during his first year on the job concerning his travel.
CBS has sought comment on whether this video circulating online is real. It appears to show FBI Director Kash Patel chugging a beer in the locker room with the men’s USA hockey team. His spokesman previously told us the trip was for government business, and not personal. pic.twitter.com/yWAmUufrVS
— Sarah N. Lynch
An FBI spokesperson said Patel was in Milan to meet with European security officials. However, Democratic Representative Jason Crow criticized the trip on social media, posting that the “grift & corruption is unreal” and adding:
Your taxpayer dollars funding the FBI Director’s Italian vacation.
In response to the backlash, Patel expressed gratitude for the team’s invitation to celebrate the win. He stated,
extremely humbled when my friends, the newly minted gold medal winners on Team USA, invited me into the locker room to celebrate.
President Trump’s Phone Call Includes Controversial Remarks
During the celebrations, Patel connected President Donald Trump to the locker room via phone. Trump extended an invitation for the players to attend his Tuesday State of the Union address, even offering to
send a military plane or something
to bring them there for the coolest night. One player enthusiastically responded, We’re in!, and another jokingly asked if Trump could pick them up in Florida on Tuesday morning.
In the background, someone can be heard saying, Close the northern border.
Donald Trump joked about the Olympic women’s hockey team during a phone call with the USA men’s team.
— The Independent
Trump also referred to the U.S. women’s hockey team, who had also claimed gold in Milan. Making a joke, he said,
I must tell you, we’re gonna have to bring the women’s team, you do know that,
which drew laughs from the American players. He added,
I do believe I probably would be impeached.
On social media, the men’s team faced criticism for laughing during the remarks, although players also audibly expressed agreement when Trump invited the women’s team.
U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey Team Declines Invitation
The American women’s team announced on Monday that, while grateful for the invitation, they would not attend the State of the Union address due to prior academic and professional obligations following the Games.
Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate,
the statement read.
They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.
According to The Associated Press, the women’s team returned from Milan on commercial flights, while the men flew by charter. The women’s team only learned of the invitation late on Sunday night, complicating any travel adjustments.
Quinn Hughes, a defenseman for the U.S. men’s team, expressed enthusiasm about attending the State of the Union in an ABC interview, calling it
something you don’t get to do … every Tuesday.
WATCH: Quinn Hughes was asked by ABC’s George Stephanopoulos about attending tonight’s State of the Union… “I don’t know how much we’re allowed to say, but yes. Yeah, we’re excited to go. Something you don’t get to do — I don’t know what today is – every Tuesday. But yeah –…
— Curtis Houck
Hughes also showed support for the women’s team, noting,
Obviously a lot going on on social media surrounding our team and their team, but in the last couple summers we did a lot of training with them and got to know a lot of those girls really well.
Potential NHL Game Absences Due to White House Engagement
While Matthews is expected to return to Tampa ahead of Wednesday’s NHL game, it remains uncertain whether other American players will miss matches as a result of the White House visit. Players attending the State of the Union or related events may be absent for some of the NHL’s scheduled games on Wednesday.
Such absences are not without precedent. After Sweden’s gold medal win at the 2006 Olympics, many players visited Stockholm before returning to the NHL. Leafs captain Mats Sundin managed to make it back for Toronto’s first post-Olympic game, but several others missed outings.
The White House visit highlights the tensions between Olympic momentum and NHL scheduling, raising questions about how players balance national and professional commitments.
CBS has sought comment on whether this video circulating online is real. It appears to show FBI Director Kash Patel chugging a beer in the locker room with the men’s USA hockey team. His spokesman previously told us the trip was for government business, and not personal. pic.twitter.com/yWAmUufrVS
— Sarah N. Lynch (@SarahNLynch) February 23, 2026
Donald Trump joked about the Olympic women’s hockey team during a phone call with the USA men’s team.
After the men’s team won the gold medal against Canada on Sunday (22 February), FBI director Kash Patel joined the celebrations in their locker room, calling the president to… pic.twitter.com/IhDj8PUkk3
— The Independent (@Independent) February 23, 2026
WATCH: Quinn Hughes was asked by ABC's George Stephanopoulos about attending tonight's State of the Union…
"I don't know how much we're allowed to say, but yes. Yeah, we're excited to go. Something you don't get to do — I don't know what today is – every Tuesday. But yeah –… pic.twitter.com/POH9XIXqyv
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 24, 2026
