The US president took a break from handling the crisis in Ukraine following Russia’s invasion to highlight this sporting success. She notably exchanged a few jokes with captain Steven Stamkos, reminding her that she was getting older after 14 seasons in the NHL, and recalled that the first lady, Jill Biden, participated in a massive vaccination campaign against COVID-19. at the Lightning home last year.

I’m not saying the presence of the first lady in your amphitheater during last year’s playoffs allowed you to win, Biden first said with a smile. But I remind you that he was also there in the last election. He’s still there, in the winner’s circle. Think about it.

Biden also wondered whatmay have been in the water in Tampa to explain Lightning’s championship conquests in the context of bubbles, in 2020, and during the Floridians ’victory over the Montreal Canadiens in front of a packed house in Tampa, last year.

Russian Lightning players Andrei Vasilevskiy, Nikita Kucherov and Mikhail Sergachev all attended the event at the White House and shared photos on their social media. There is no shortage of headliners for the occasion. Even some members of the 2020 champion team who have already jumped or announced their retirement are there.

Everyone wanted to come along, and everyone who could come, including former players, agreed to do so, assured the Montreal Canadiens ’former first-round pick in 2007, defenseman Ryan McDonagh. It’s a very good tradition: you’re part of a champion team, so you can go to the White House and meet the president.

Lightning, who has won the Stanley Cup three times (2004, 2020 and 2021), has not met the president at his official residence before. The lockout in 2004-2005 forced the event to be canceled, and the current pandemic postponed the second consecutive conquest of the important trophy by nine months.

Stamkos, a Canadian, said thatit took a long timebefore being given to McDonagh, a native of Minnesota, at the ceremony.

The Lightning are once again among the top teams in the NHL and will look to become the first team to win three consecutive Stanley Cups since the New York Islanders dynasty in the early 1980s.

Our group is still hungry, McDonagh said. We don’t need more motivation, but [cet événement à la Maison-Blanche] will encourage us, certainly, at the dawn of last week’s regular schedule and start of the playoffs.