Winnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck will receive the United States’ highest civilian honor for his heroics to win a gold medal in men’s hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
During the State of the Union Address on Tuesday evening, President Donald Trump brought out members of the US men’s hockey team just days after their famous victory over Canada in the gold medal game.
As the members of Congress stood and applauded the team, Trump revealed that Hellebuyck will receive a special award.
Trump said that at the team’s earlier visit to the White House, he asked the rest of the team before coming to his decision that Hellebuyck would be given the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
‘The members of this hockey squad will be very happy to hear that, based on their vote, and my vote, and in this case my vote was more important, that I will soon be presenting Connor with our highest civilian honor … the Presidential Medal of Freedom,’ Trump said to the session of Congress.
Hellebuyck held his hand to his heart as members of the House and Senate stood and applauded him.
Connor Hellebucyk will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his gold medal display
President Trump announced during the State of the Union that he’d receive the honor
The Presidential Medal of Freedom can be given to ‘any person recommended to the President for award of the Medal or any person selected by the President upon his own initiative.’
The award can be presented to ‘anyone who advances the national interests of the U.S., of world peace, or who has advanced American interests in cultural endeavors,’ per the White House.
Recipients do not need to be American citizens in order to receive the award.
Multiple athletes have been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the past.
Under President Joe Biden, soccer legend Lionel Messi, late Olympian Jim Thorpe, swimmer Katie Ledecky, and US women’s national team star Megan Rapinoe earned the award.
In Trump’s first term, he honored New York Yankees star Mariano Rivera, late Los Angeles Lakers basketball star Jerry West and golf icons Tiger Woods, Gary Player and Annika Sorenstam among others.
Across his two terms, President Barack Obama honored the likes of basketball icons Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell, coaches Dean Smith and Pat Summit, and sportscaster Vin Scully.
Hellebuyck’s amazing performance saw him stop 41 of 42 shots before the US beat Canada 2-1.