Boston Bruins
“We have so much respect for the women’s team, and to share that gold medal with them is something that we’re forever grateful for.”
Jeremy Swayman won Olympic gold with Team USA on Sunday. Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images
February 25, 2026 | 2:53 PM
3 minutes to read
Speaking to reporters in Boston on Wednesday, Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman said that the U.S. men’s hockey team should have had a different reaction after President Donald Trump made a joke about the U.S. women’s hockey team after both teams won gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Shortly after the U.S. men’s team bested Canada on Sunday in a 2-1 overtime victory, video captured within the Americans’ dressing room at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena went viral.
As Team USA celebrated their first gold medal in Olympic men’s hockey since 1980 — with FBI director Kash Patel also in the U.S. dressing room — the players received a phone call from Trump.
During the call, video captured Trump inviting the men’s team to Washington DC, while also making a joke about the U.S. women’s hockey team — which won its third Olympic gold medal on Thursday after also defeating Canada, 2-1, in overtime.
“I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team, you do know that,” Trump said, adding that he’d “probably be impeached” if he didn’t invite the women’s team. Several of the men’s team players laughed at Trump’s comment.
On Wednesday, Swayman said that he and his teammates regretted that reaction.
“We should have reacted differently. We know that,” Swayman said. “We are so excited for the women’s team. We have so much respect for the women’s team, and to share that gold medal with them is something that we’re forever grateful for. And now that we’re home, we get to share that together forever and see the incredible support that we have from the USA and sharing this incredible gold medal.”
While Swayman, Charlie McAvoy and a majority of Team USA met with Trump on Tuesday at the White House and attended the State of the Union address later that night, the U.S. women’s team declined Trump’s invitation.
A team USA spokesperson cited previous commitments as the reason why the women’s team did not join the men’s team in Washington DC.
“We are sincerely grateful for the invitation extended to our gold medal-winning U.S. Women’s Hockey Team and deeply appreciate the recognition of their extraordinary achievement,” Team USA said in a statement, per The Athletic. “Due to the timing and previously scheduled academic and professional commitments following the Games, the athletes are unable to participate. They were honored to be included and are grateful for the acknowledgment.”
During Trump’s speech at the US Capitol on Tuesday night, he said that the U.S. women’s team would be visiting with him “soon,” although no formal plans have been announced yet.
“It was an incredible honor. We were all there to represent our country and celebrate a gold medal for the United States,” Swayman said of Tuesday’s trip to Washington. “That was something we really embodied and were really grateful to be a part of.”
Three players on the US women’s team also play for the PWHL’s Boston Fleet — goalie Aerin Frankel, defender Haley Winn, and captain Megan Keller, who scored the golden goal against Canada last week.
“Plenty of us have crossed paths with them, whether it was in college and the professional league, too,” Swayman said of the US women’s hockey tram. “We were so excited for them to get it done first. Seeing them in the dining hall and sharing the victories together is something we’ll cherish forever.”
Swayman was back on the ice with his Bruins teammates at Warrior Ice Arena on Wednesday, just a day before Boston resumes play with a home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Bruins head coach Marco Sturm said that both Swayman and McAvoy arrived back in Boston between 3 and 4 a.m. Wednesday morning and were given an optional day to skate — with Swayman taking part in practice.
It’s unclear whether both Swayman and McAvoy will play on Thursday against Columbus, although both are slated to take part in morning skate Thursday morning at TD Garden.
As Swayman looks to help Boston solidify its spot in the playoff picture over the club’s final 25 regular-season games, the 27-year-old netminder is grateful that he was able to leave Italy with some Olympic hardware.
“It’s incredible,” Swayman said. “It’s starting to sink in now, the reaction that we’ve gotten from people in the U.S the second we landed down, and just the outreach of family. [It’s] a childhood dream come true. And the group that we did it with, especially the way we did it — it’s an unbelievable feeling, incredible feeling, that we’ll cherish forever.’
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
