Pittsburgh Penguins honoured by Donald Trump at White House

By Stephen Whyno The Associated Press

As the NFL anthem controversy persists, the Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins paid a visit to President Donald Trump at the White House. As Eric Sorensen reports, the normal levity of such an event took on political overtones in the polarizing atmosphere that surrounds Trump.

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President Donald Trump is honoring the Stanley Cup winning Pittsburgh Penguins, calling them “true champions and incredible patriots.”

Trump welcomed the Penguins into the Oval Office on Tuesday. He celebrated their second consecutive championship in the East Room of the White House and singled out the achievements of playoff MVP Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and American Phil Kessel, among others.

Pittsburgh Penguins visit Donald Trump at the White House

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Trump has grabbed a number of sports headlines in recent weeks, including his criticism of NFL players for kneeling during the national anthem and his decision to disinvite the NBA champion Golden State Warriors to the White House.

He joked that Penguins co-owner Ron Burkle should help him renegotiate NAFTA but avoided any talk about other sports. The Penguins are the fourth championship team and third pro team to visit Trump at the White House after the NFL’s New England Patriots, Major League Baseball’s Chicago Cubs and college football’s Clemson Tigers.

READ MORE: Former NHL player Georges Laraque calls Penguins’ decision to visit White House ’embarrassing’

Crosby, coach Mike Sullivan and other members of the Penguins said this visit had nothing to do with politics. The team said in a statement it respected the tradition of visiting the White House.

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