Does Trump think Alexander Ovechkin is Canadian? Hockey remark during meeting with Carney raises eyebrows
“You happen to have a very, very good hockey player right here on the Capitals 鈥 He is a big, tough cookie, too. He just broke the record and he鈥檚 a great guy,” Trump said in his meeting with Carney.聽
鈥淚 love Canada. I have a lot of respect for the Canadians,鈥 Trump said. 鈥淵ou happen to have a very, very good hockey player right here on the Capitals 鈥 He is a big, tough cookie, too. He just broke the record and he鈥檚 a great guy.鈥
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Trump did not mention Ovechkin by name in his meeting with Carney.聽
Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, shown here in a April 30 file photo, was born in Russia.聽
Nick Wass/The Associated Press file photo
Ovechkin, who plays for the Washington Capitals, has played for Russia internationally and publicly supported Russian President Vladimir Putin in the past. Ovechkin鈥檚 Instagram profile picture is a photo of him with Putin and in 2017, and he set up a group called Putin Team on social media to support the autocratic leader.
Putin congratulated Ovechkin when he scored his 895th career goal, breaking Gretzky鈥檚 record.
“I congratulate you on your outstanding record. You have surpassed legendary masters in the number of goals scored in National Hockey League regular-season games,” Putin said in a statement released by the Kremlin. “I wish you health, good fortune (and) fighting spirit to conquer new heights in life and in sports.”
Trump鈥檚 comments came during a high-stakes meeting with Carney at the White House, the first since the prime minister won a minority government in last month鈥檚 federal election. Carney said he privately told Trump to stop his 51st state rhetoric, and publicly, Carney said Canada 鈥渨on鈥檛 be for sale, ever.鈥
鈥淣ever say never,鈥 Trump responded.
With files from The Associated Press
Mark Colley is a Toronto-based general assignment reporter for
the Star. Reach him via email: mcolley@thestar.ca
