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    “Denied Canada the Stanley Cup for the 32nd straight year”: US President Donald Trump takes a dig at Canadians during Panthers’ visit to The White House

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    Runfyers
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    President Donald Trump hosted the Florida Panthers at the White House on Thursday to celebrate their back-to-back Stanley Cup wins.

    The Panthers defeated the Edmonton Oilers for the second straight year last season. Notably, no Canadian team has won the Cup for the last 32 years. The last team to do so for Canada was the Montreal Canadiens in 1993.

    Donald Trump praised the Florida Panthers’ dominant playoff performance and took a playful jab at Canada:

    “Not only did you live up to the sky-high expectations, you gave us perhaps the most dominant playoff run in NHL history…you led the Finals for over 255 minutes…and you denied Canada the Stanley Cup for the 32nd straight year.” – PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP.

    The line drew laughs and applause, though it was ironic given that nearly half the Panthers’ roster consists of Canadian players.

    Meanwhile, the team gifted Trump a custom “Trump 47” jersey, a golden hockey stick, and championship rings.

    Florida Panthers’ Matthew Tkachuk expressed hopes of returning for a three-peat

    During the team’s White House visit, Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk expressed his pride in being American, emphasizing the toll it takes on the team to win.

    After gifting President Trump items like a custom jersey and championship rings, Tkachuk voiced optimism about returning for a three-peat:

    “Like I said last year, winning, it takes a toll,” Tkachuk said via NHL com. “You pay a price for it and each one of these members behind me, it really does take a village to make it happen.

    He added:

    “Each person played a very, very important part, and coming down to Florida, thanks to Vinnie Viola and Bill Zito, has really changed my life and I cannot believe that the three years we got two Stanley Cups and, like Vinnie said, we’re not stopping now. We hope to be here next year. So, that’s the plan.”

    Tkachuk’s remarks were optimistic; however, the Panthers have had a struggling season so far. The defending champions are currently sitting just two points above the last-place Ottawa Senators in the Atlantic Division, though they remain only three points out of an Eastern Conference wild-card spot in a very tight race.