Bill Guerin of Team USA Hockey Stands Firm on White House Visit: ‘I Don’t Care’
Team USA men’s hockey general manager Bill Guerin remains unfazed by the criticism directed at the gold medal-winning team for their meeting with President Donald Trump.
“Nowadays, I’m not surprised by anything,” Guerin, 55, stated to reporters on Sunday, March 1. “While I’m not surprised, I’m also not letting it affect me. We just won a gold medal. Nothing will spoil this moment for me. I don’t care what people say or think.”
He added, “That’s an incredible team. These players are outstanding individuals and wonderful family men, and nothing anyone says will change my opinion. I don’t care.”
Guerin also serves as the general manager for the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, who returned to their home ice for the first time since the 2026 Winter Olympics on Sunday.
This past week was particularly eventful for the Team USA hockey squad, especially for Wild star Quinn Hughes, who made an appearance alongside his brother Jack Hughes on Saturday Night Live on February 28.
“I know this hectic travel has stressed him out because he wants to keep performing for the Wild,” said Guerin regarding Quinn’s busy schedule. “We’ve discussed it, and I urged him to embrace these opportunities. This could be a once-in-a-lifetime chance. So you get to do Saturday Night Live? Go for it! Take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way.”
Quinn, 26, is also set to appear on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on Monday, March 2.
Guerin remarked, “Sure, you may feel tired for today’s game and the next one. I get that. But enjoy it while you can. You can rest later.”
Twenty out of the 25 players on Team USA’s men’s hockey roster visited Washington, D.C., to meet with Trump, 79, on February 24. Most players, including Quinn and Jack, 24, also attended the president’s State of the Union address that night.
Five players chose to return home after the Olympics instead of meeting with Trump: Colorado Avalanche forward Brock Nelson, Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger, Anaheim Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe, Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jake Guentzel, and Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor.
Some of the players who met with Trump have addressed the backlash, including Jack Hughes.
“We’re just hockey players, you have to keep that in mind,” Jack remarked to reporters on February 23. “Our job was to win a gold medal at the Olympics, and we accomplished that. I’ve had the time of my life celebrating with my teammates over our achievement.”
He added, “I’m a hockey player. We’re incredibly proud to be back in the U.S. celebrating our gold medal, and doing it with our teammates makes it even better.”
New York Rangers star Vincent Trocheck expressed to reporters on Wednesday, “It’s unfortunate that it has become politicized. We’re all very proud to be Americans, and we were proud to represent our country and win a gold medal at the 2026 Winter Olympics. We went there with the goal of winning gold for everyone back home, and we achieved that.”
Trocheck, 32, continued, “It’s disheartening that it turns into something political when all we wanted was to represent our country to the best of our ability.”
