President Donald Trump on Tuesday mentioned Alex Ovechkin during a joint press conference with newly elected Canadian prime minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office. The remarks came as the two leaders met amid tensions between the United States and Canada.
The press conference, held May 6, 2025 3:38 pm (May 6, 2025), followed Carney's election on April 28. It occurred during a period of trade disagreement due to a tariff war and Trump's past rhetoric concerning Canada.
Asked about concessions from Canada, Trump shifted the topic after initially stating he sought "Friendship." His answer included a reference to hockey players from the Washington Capitals 2018 Stanley Cup team.
Trump specifically cited Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin, speaking of him in positive terms. His remarks also included a mention of Canadian hockey star Wayne Gretzky.
Some observers noted that Trump referenced both Gretzky, who is Canadian, and Alex Ovechkin in a sequence that potentially implied Ovechkin was also Canadian. Ovechkin is from Russia. The question arose in coverage Does Donald Trump think Alexander Ovechkin is a Canadian?.
Alex Ovechkin recently broke Wayne Gretzky's NHL goal-scoring record one month earlier on April 6, scoring his 895th career goal against the New York Islanders. Trump had previously mentioned Ovechkin after that milestone.
Wayne Gretzky has also drawn public attention recently due to his association with Donald Trump. The former NHL star Wayne Gretzky Facing Backlash Over Donald Trump Controversy has faced criticism in his native Canada over his support for the former president. Trump stated he told Gretzky he could say he did not know him to avoid negative reaction in Canada.
Beyond Tuesday's comments, Trump has engaged with the hockey community in the past. He previously hosted the Washington Capitals hosted the Capitals’ championship team at the White House on March 25, 2019 after their championship season.
More recently, Trump was seen with Capitals forward TJ Oshie and businessman Elon Musk at a golf club. Pictures of the three sitting at a table were posted online on April 19.
During the press conference, Trump offered a positive assessment of the Capitals player.
"You happen to have a very, very good hockey player right here on the Capitals," Trump said. "He is a big, tough cookie too. Just broke the record, and he’s a great guy."
