Hockey has recently assumed a distinct spot in the zeitgeist: As the hit TV show “Heated Rivalry” allowed the sport to reach wider audiences, hockey also entered the spotlight at the 2026 Winter Olympics. Following the National Hockey League’s decision to allow its players to compete at the Olympics for the first time in 12 years, the men’s hockey final racked up an astounding 20.7 million viewers across networks. And the hype delivered: The U.S. men’s team celebrated its first victory at the Olympics since 1980, beating the Canadian team 2-1 in overtime.
The win seemed to be a unifying moment across the country, as many took to social media to show off their patriotism. But that unity was soon cut down by the insolent male behavior that exudes from our current administration and men’s sports as a whole.
Shortly after its victory, a controversial video of a call between the U.S. men’s hockey team and President Donald Trump began circulating the internet. In the video, the players were seen laughing at a demeaning jab the president made towards the women’s team.
“I must tell you, we’re gonna have to bring the women’s team,” Trump said. “You do know that. I do believe I probably would be impeached.”
What was a celebration of rare patriotism and athleticism quickly devolved into one of shame and a resurfacing of partisan tensions.
Fans also questioned a video of FBI Director Kash Patel partaking in the U.S. men’s team locker room celebration, who acted with such fervor as if he had scored the team’s winning goal. For a person who had criticized former FBI Director Chris Wray for his private jet use, his spontaneous trip to Milan is frivolous considering how many pressing cases remain at large back on U.S. soil — such as the ongoing search for Nancy Guthrie.
It’s fair to believe that some players reacted poorly as a way to not dampen the mood of their historic victory, given that all but two were first-timers at the Olympics. Since last Sunday, players, including goalie Jeremy Swayman, issued apologies, admitting that they regret responding to the president’s comments in such a way and reaffirmed their support for the women’s team. Five of the 25 players on the team declined their invitation to the White House, opting to go back home to their families or recover for future games instead.
Nonetheless, the team’s silence and lack of solidarity with their female counterparts speaks volumes. New Jersey Devils and U.S. player Jack Hughes — whose mother Ellen Weinberg-Hughes is a consultant for the U.S. women’s team — failed to come to his female peers’ defense. In an interview with “Good Morning America” the team tried to address the backlash as people simply being negative, looking to “put people down and make something out of almost nothing.” The statement did little to absolve concerns, with many, including former hockey player and “Heated Rivalry” actor Harrison Browne, seeing it as a means of doubling down on harmful actions and making themselves out to be the victims of the situation. Although an active petition with over 25,000 signatures calls on the team to release an official state of apology, one has yet to be issued.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that around 56% of boys aged 6-17 years old in the United States participate in sports and that over four million young men were enrolled in a high school sport in 2025. When locker room talk becomes synonymous with misogynistic language to this easily-influenced age group, it breeds a culture of hostility and bigotry that shows up in very tangible ways across the nation.
On Saturday, members of both the men’s and women’s hockey team appeared on Saturday Night Live hosted by Connor Storrie, Heated Rivalry star. In the skit, captain Hilary Knight from the women’s team made a reference to President Trump’s comment last week. The large response from the crowd signaled a shared interest in not just the hockey-adjacent love story, but the actual sport itself.
As hockey’s emerging popularity reaches new fans and expands in its influence, the culture around the sport must work to go beyond its narrow norms and prejudices. If not, it risks exacerbating existing gender disparities and the degradation of women. Athletes, regardless of how intent they are on maintaining political neutrality, cannot escape the current political moment — especially when the controversy revolved around a joke instigated by the president of the United States.
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Contact Serin Lee at [email protected].