US hockey star Matthew Tkachuk reveals Trump call felt ‘super cool’ after gold medal win at Olympics

WASHINGTON, DC: When President Donald Trump called to congratulate the US men's ice hockey team on their thrilling gold-medal victory over Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics, USA Olympic hockey star Matthew Tkachuk expressed his excitement and sense of honor.

Hearing from the president was a significant boost for the team as they won their first Olympic hockey gold in decades, according to Tkachuk, who called the moment "super cool."

Matthew Tkachuk praises Donald Trump's call

Landing in Miami after the Olympics, Tkachuk spoke with reporters about Trump’s congratulatory phone call, which also included an invitation for the team to attend the State of the Union address.

“It was super cool. It was an honor,” he said. “An honor hearing from the President of the United States.”

He noted that Trump expressed support not just for the hockey team, but for all American athletes striving to bring home medals.

“He was supporting us and all the other athletes and wanting us all to bring home as many gold medals we can," he added.

Matthew Tkachuk on representing US

“We’re definitely honored to represent him and the hundreds of millions across the country and to bring a gold medal back,” Tkachuk said.

Tkachuk's comments were in line with a larger theme of patriotism that has pervaded the US men's Olympic hockey team's Winter Games performance.

The Americans' victory in the historic final sparked a national fervor and brought attention to a renewed sense of solidarity around global competition.

The gold medal was part of Team USA's historic Olympics in Milan-Cortina, where American athletes came together to compete in one of the most successful Winter Games in the country's recent history.

The dramatic finish over Canada was cited by both fans and commentators as a memorable moment that captivated sports fans across the country.

Matthew Tkachuk praises USA after win

Team USA clinched the gold medal with a 2-1 overtime win over longtime rival Canada in Milano Cortina, Italy, marking a historic breakthrough that ended more than 40 years without top podium success in Olympic men’s hockey.

“The United States of America, the greatest country in the world deserves this because we’ve been knocking at the door for a long time and we’ve got the game of hockey right now and I’m so honoured to be a part of this team” said Tkachuk after the win.

Tkachuk and the Panthers are back-to-back reigning Stanley Cup champions.

He pointed out the major difference was what the win meant to the country as a whole.

"It’s almost more meaningful to everybody else in the sense of it’s a way to unite the whole country," he said.