Obama welcomes Stanley Cup champion Penguins back to White House
WASHINGTON — When President Barack Obama took office in 2009, the first NHL team to pay him a visit was the Pittsburgh Penguins. On Thursday, nearly eight years later, the Penguins were also the last NHL team he’ll get the chance to honor.
“This is a nice bookend to my presidency,” Obama began. “The first year you guys won the Cup, and now you’re coming back for my final year.”
With the Penguins lined up behind him, Obama noted a lot has changed since their last visit to the East Room, most notably, the color of his hair.
“Back in 2009, my hair matched the color of the puck more than the ice,” Obama joked. “Sid the Kid (Crosby) was actually a kid. And Geno (Evgeni Malkin) was still snapping pictures with this flip phone.”
The Penguins' top scoring "HBK" line (named for Carl Hagelin, Nick Bonino and Phil Kessel) and goalie Matt Murray also got personal shout-outs, but none were as funny as the line Obama had for forward Phil Kessel, who had a controversial and unsuccessful run with the Toronto Maple Leafs before coming to Pittsburgh.
“We are here to celebrate an extraordinary achievement,” Obama said. “Phil Kessel is a Stanley Cup champion!”
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Obama also acknowledged that Kessel was just one man on a team of underdogs.
“What I like best about this team’s victory is that no one thought they could pull it off. I obviously sympathize with that, they said the same thing about me," Obama added.
Kessel wasn't the only one Obama ribbed. He also took a good-natured dig at Canada.
"I'm proud to be the first president to welcome to the White House eight cup-winning teams, all of whom are based in the United States,” Obama said. "I reminded the Canadian prime minister, (Justin) Trudeau, who had a state dinner here, about that not too long ago."
As the jokes went on, Obama took a break from his prepared speech to remark on a crying baby in the audience.
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“Don't worry I don't have any more bad jokes" he laughed. "It's like, 'Awww these are so corny,'"
The President did switch gears for a bit to recognize Crosby, the Penguins captain, noting not just the slew of trophies and titles he’s won, but the qualities that make him a good leader. He specifically mentioned Crosy's touching gesture to forward Trevor Daley, who's mother had been battling cancer.
“The captain always chooses who gets (the Stanley Cup) second, it’s a big honor," Obama said. "Sid surprised everybody, including Trevor by handing it to him. Trevor’s mom, Trudy, got to see her son skate around with it on a broken ankle and passed away a few days later. That’s a testament to the kind of person Sid is, but also the kind of team this is.”
Obama stayed away from politics for most of his prepared remarks, but he did take an opportunity to jokingly push his climate-change initiatives: "We want to continue to have ice so we can play hockey.”
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While Obama was brief in his remarks in the East Room, the Penguins had a chance to spend the morning at the White House, something coach Mike Sullivan, who is from Marshfield, Mass., was in awe of.
"It's certainly been quite an honor to spend the morning here at the White House," Sullivan said. "We're certainly proud of our players ... and all they have accomplished and this event today is the culmination of that accomplishment."
The moment also wasn't lost on Crosby, who, despite having been here in 2009, felt he could appreciate it more the second time.
"It doesn't get old," Crosby said. "It's a pretty unique experience, and being able to do it a second time, there's things I didn't remember the first time here. I think all of us are trying to soak this in."