Many sports teams are hesitant to visit President Trump in the White House if they win a championship, but on the whole, the Washington Capitals do not appear to be one of them.
Numerous Capitals players said Wednesday that they would be eager to visit the White House if an invitation is extended. That includes defenseman Brooks Orpik, the only previous Stanley Cup winner on the team.
“We all have our opinions on it, it’s a very sensitive issue,” Orpik said, via Samantha Pell of the Washington Post. “It’s just kind of the way things are going these days. If you don’t have the belief as somebody else then automatically they think you’re wrong and they take it personally, which politics isn’t supposed to be that way. You’re allowed to have disagreement but my opinion is that you’re supposed to respect the other person’s decision.
“I know from past experiences it’s a really cool experience, I mean you go there for three or four hours. For me it’s a really cool celebration with your team celebrating a championship.”
Most other Capitals who spoke on the subject felt the same way, with most stating that they are interested in seeing the building and see an invitation as an honor no matter who is in office. That includes captain Alex Ovechkin, who thinks a White House trip would be “fun,” as well as American-born players T.J. Oshie and Matt Niskanen.
With comments like this, it seems likely that the Capitals will get a White House invitation. That said, at least one player on the team isn’t particularly interested in going.
