Winnipeg Jets

[bomberjet]

Don't meet your heroes type thing.

[wags_in_the_peg]

I dont want Hellybucyk cuz he won a Gold for USA and got medal from Trump, I dont want Kevin He as he is Chinese descent, I dont want Ovechkin cuz he Russian and might be a spy, I dont want Arshdeep Bains cuz he family from India. all the same argument, don't be silly folks

[EdwardTH]

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

I dont want Hellybucyk cuz he won a Gold for USA and got medal from Trump, I dont want Kevin He as he is Chinese descent, I dont want Ovechkin cuz he Russian and might be a spy, I dont want Arshdeep Bains cuz he family from India. all the same argument, don't be silly folks

The Ovechkin one is kinda fair, the other two are just xenophobic and not at all the same as shaking hands with a guy who, beyond any shadow of a doubt, was deeply personally involved with one of the most notorious sex traffickers in the world for many years.

[bomberjet]

People are entitled to their opinions.

I am by no means shitting on Hellebuyck. It's an achievement of a lifetime, what he's done. It's just too bad the big orange buffoon is on the other end. And that's my opinion, which is shared by a lot of people.

Even the Americans, such as Brady T, have had to deal with their stupidity. White House sharing doctored videos of him. That's just one small example.

I'll gladly welcome Helle back with a standing O.

[neutroniks]

Originally Posted by EdwardTH

The Ovechkin one is kinda fair, the other two are just xenophobic and not at all the same as shaking hands with a guy who, beyond any shadow of a doubt, was deeply personally involved with one of the most notorious sex traffickers in the world for many years.

This sums it up pretty well. Its completely possible to be prideful of your country, and be ecstatic about it, and still not align yourself with someone as morally wrong as Trump, and he chose not to do that. Kyle didn't go to the White House; That doesn't mean he hates America, he could just not align himself with the moral compass of the person currently running the country. Look at the number of teams that were invited to the White House after winning championships and declined going because their personal morals didn't align with who was running the country.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by neutroniks

This sums it up pretty well. It’s completely possible to be prideful of your country, and be ecstatic about it, and still not align yourself with someone as morally wrong as Trump, and he chose not to do that. Kyle didn't go to the White House; That doesn't mean he hates America, he could just not align himself with the moral compass of the person currently running the country. Look at the number of teams that were invited to the White House after winning championships and declined going because their personal morals didn't align with who was running the country.

Hellebuyck could have done that but it would have come at a personal cost to him, and given that attending the ceremony and accepting the medal need not be interpreted as support for Trump or his personal morals, it was probably the reasonable course of action to take and I don’t blame him for it at all. Awarding a Presidential Medal of Freedom for this might be a little over the top, but I could see a similar performance influencing an Order of Canada selection too.

[James Bond Agent 007]

By any chance do they play this song at Jets games?

• Video Link

[bomberjet]

It's definitely over the top and fully in line with the buffoon's lust for validation.

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by Andy6

Hellebuyck could have done that but it would have come at a personal cost to him, and given that attending the ceremony and accepting the medal need not be interpreted as support for Trump or his personal morals, it was probably the reasonable course of action to take and I don’t blame him for it at all. Awarding a Presidential Medal of Freedom for this might be a little over the top, but I could see a similar performance influencing an Order of Canada selection too.

It isn’t without precedent, there was a list of other athletes recognized for Olympic performance by a medal of freedom, but I can’t recall who’s on it. I think it would be the 5th one, there was another awarded recently.

[neutroniks]

Originally Posted by optimusREIM

It isn’t without precedent, there was a list of other athletes recognized for Olympic performance by a medal of freedom, but I can’t recall who’s on it. I think it would be the 5th one, there was another awarded recently.

The most recent Olympic athletes to receive them was Katie Ledecky & Simone Biles.

[Mr Tall Forehead]

Originally Posted by Andy6

Hellebuyck could have done that but it would have come at a personal cost to him, and given that attending the ceremony and accepting the medal need not be interpreted as support for Trump or his personal morals, it was probably the reasonable course of action to take and I don’t blame him for it at all. Awarding a Presidential Medal of Freedom for this might be a little over the top, but I could see a similar performance influencing an Order of Canada selection too.

This sums up how I feel about the situation too. This doesn’t necessarily show his political leanings but not going and speaking out against Trump sure would have.

[The Jabroni]

All fair and valid points.

Everything that was said earlier, all of that aside, when I look at the overall bigger picture and the given situation of the 46 year drought that was broken, it is an achievement in itself and a huge honour, no matter who's president. That's a once in a lifetime deal.

This was said previously, but never meet your heroes. This is a prime example and a cautionary tale.

[Jammon]

Originally Posted by The Jabroni

All fair and valid points.

Everything that was said earlier, all of that aside, when I look at the overall bigger picture and the given situation of the 46 year drought that was broken, it is an achievement in itself and a huge honour, no matter who's president. That's a once in a lifetime deal.

This was said previously, but never meet your heroes. This is a prime example and a cautionary tale.

I actually fall on the opposite side of all of this and I am utterly disappointed in him and the other Americans that attended the White House. It probably wouldn't have bothered me as much except all these guys were laughing at his comments about the women's team and I'm sure you all have seen the media surrounding it, so I don't need to say more. However, I have definitely lost respect for Helle considering he has a wife and daughter and the amount of disrespect shown to women, in general, is something they should all be thinking about.

[biguc]

It can be hard to reconcile courage and maturity but that doesn't apply to a young millionaire who plays a game for a living.

"Ohhhh his personal costs!"

This isn't a working man grinning and bearing it for the sake of his family. If Hellebuyk had any values or courage he could have not gone yucking it up with Trump and been fine.

Like I said, it's hard to reconcile maturity and courage. It's easy to be brave when you have nothing to lose. It's harder when it takes real sacrifice.

But this isn't that. And I'm skeptical of all of you Trump apologists. Are you really so aloof? Or are you just spineless cowards with no real values?

Where are conservatives' values in 2026?

Think of the children? Paedophile president.

Free trade? Tariffs.

Government shouldn't pick winners? Rampant cronyism.

Abstinence only? Except in the case of rapists.

No more military adventurism? Holy war.

Rule of law? Rule by decree!

Some things are so rotten that any response but repulsion is itself indicative of rot.

[BlackDog204]

Originally Posted by Mr Tall Forehead

This sums up how I feel about the situation too. This doesn’t necessarily show his political leanings but not going and speaking out against Trump sure would have.

Blake Wheeler was very vocal in speaking out against Trump, during Trump's first term. As a native Minnesotan, and with what has gone down in Minneapolis, I could see him refusing to meet with Trump, and be vocal about it, if he were in his prime.

[neutroniks]

Yeah, it's just also situational awareness of where you live & work. Esp with the past 51st state rhetoric, and just the optics with all the allegations. He can say he did it to 'Receive the Medal of Freedom' but is that medal really worth putting aside your moral compass? Their kids might not be old enough, but I imagine if they were teenagers, or in University, they'd be hearing about it a lot from their more informed classmates.

Brady got caught stumbling when a reporter called him out "why did you laugh then". It was great seeing him being held accountable.

[drew]

The Tkachuk bros are a strange case. Their mom and her side of the family are all Canadian, but you would never know it based on how they act. It was never even questioned as part of the whole WH AI video that Brady was speaking out against post Olympics. Why wouldn't he just say - of course it's inaccurate - half of my family is Canadian? I dunno.

[neutroniks]

Originally Posted by drew

The Tkachuk bros are a strange case. Their mom and her side of the family are all Canadian, but you would never know it based on how they act. It was never even questioned as part of the whole WH AI video that Brady was speaking out against post Olympics. Why wouldn't he just say - of course it's inaccurate - half of my family is Canadian? I dunno.

Could be one of those Canadians that secretly always wanted to be American? I personally know some people that "wouldn't mind Canada being taken by America". They're an odd bunch.

[bomberjet]

I have family who are dual citizens. They've lived in both Winnipeg and allover the US. They're just American orange buffoon loving nuts. They're in law enforcement in the US. At the local and federal level. They're not Canadian by any measure besides having the dual citizenship thing from when they were born. I'm not sure if their kids now are just American as IIRC the dual citizenship thing has been abolished.

Tkachuk's would be the same.

[drew]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I have family who are dual citizens. They've lived in both Winnipeg and allover the US. They're just American orange buffoon loving nuts. They're in law enforcement in the US. At the local and federal level. They're not Canadian by any measure besides having the dual citizenship thing from when they were born.

Tkachuk's would be the same.

It's also odd why it would never be a question from a reporter. "Hey Brady, what are your feelings about that WH video given your mom is Canadian and half your family live there?"