At a recent press conference, US President Donald Trump made headlines again — this time for a mix-up involving Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin. While complimenting Canada and its people, Trump seemed to suggest that Ovechkin, who just reached a major milestone in the NHL, was Canadian.
Donald Trump’s Slip-Up During a Shoutout to Alexander Ovechkin
“I love Canada. I have a lot of respect for the Canadians,” Trump said. “You happen to have a very, very good hockey player right here on the Capitals. He’s a big, tough cookie, too, just broke the record.”
He didn’t say Ovechkin’s name, but it was pretty clear who he meant. The 39-year-old forward had just passed Wayne Gretzky to become the NHL’s all-time leading goal scorer with 895 goals. The only problem? Ovechkin is Russian, not Canadian.
Trump commented while standing next to Canada’s new prime minister, Mark Carney. As he shifted from politics to lighter topics, he brought up the Capitals player and his big achievement, but he seemingly got the nationality wrong.
Trump: "I love Canada. I have a lot of respect for the Canadians…You happen to have a very, very good hockey player right here on the Capitals, he is a big tough cookie too, just broke the record."
Alex Ovechkin is Russian. pic.twitter.com/kMvyj7YmZP
— The Bulwark (@BulwarkOnline)
Ovechkin has played for the Capitals his entire NHL career and is one of the sport’s most well-known players. He’s also been open about his ties to Russia and President Vladimir Putin. Because of that, Trump’s slip didn’t go unnoticed.
Though the mistake was small, it came at an interesting time. Trump has recently made more comments about Canada, even joking about it becoming the 51st state. That kind of talk got people’s attention, and the mix-up about Ovechkin added fuel to the fire, especially after the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, which stirred up hockey rivalries between the US, Canada, and other countries.
Praise for Ovechkin Still Came Through
Ovechkin hit his historic 895th goal in a game against the New York Islanders. The moment was celebrated all over the league. Despite the confusion, Trump followed up with more direct praise, calling Ovechkin “another great one” and “a great gentleman.”
The Russian government didn’t seem to mind the mistake. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the comments were taken as a sports compliment and not meant to be political.
Trump and Ovechkin have crossed paths before. In 2019, Trump hosted the Capitals at the White House after their Stanley Cup win, where Ovechkin was the clear star.
More recently, some of Trump’s close allies, like former FBI official Kash Patel, were seen with Gretzky right around the time Ovechkin tied his record. Patel later posted praise for Ovechkin on social media, keeping the buzz going.
Ovechkin is still under contract with Washington through 2026 and shows no signs of slowing down. Even when people mix up where he’s from, his impact on hockey, and moments like this, keep him in the spotlight.
