NHL News

Home

Teams

Quizzes

Newsletter

Feb 18, 2026; Milan, Italy; Quinn Hughes (43) of the United States celebrates his winning goal in overtime against Sweden in a men’s ice hockey quarterfinal during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Quinn Hughes Sparks Backlash After White House Visit

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By The Old Prof | Last updated Feb 28, 2026 9:45 AM ET

If you’ve been following hockey at all lately, you’ve probably seen the buzz around Quinn and Jack Hughes. The brothers had a standout Olympics, with each scoring an overtime winner and helping Team USA capture gold. Naturally, the spotlight followed them everywhere — from interviews to social media posts, their faces have been plastered across the hockey world.

But the excitement hasn’t been without its controversy. After the Olympics, the Hughes brothers visited the White House, attended the State of the Union, and were even photographed wearing what Canadians who watched saw as Trump-themed hats. For many hockey fans, especially those of the Vancouver Canucks, this has sparked a mix of reactions.

Quinn, the former Canucks captain and one of the franchise’s best defencemen ever, is in a unique position: people remember him for his leadership on the ice, and now he’s suddenly in the middle of a national conversation that goes way beyond hockey. To them, Trump had belittled Canada’s status as a sovereign nation, and their former captain had surprisingly acted tone-deaf about that fact. They felt betrayed by someone who had plied his craft for parts of eight seasons in their country.

Canadian Fans Are Divided About Hughes

A lot of the reactions online have been pretty straightforward and negative, sharing embarrassment, disappointment, and frustration. Some Canucks fans said it felt weird or uncomfortable to see Quinn cozying up to a political figure who has openly criticized Canada. A few mentioned that they thought highly of Quinn as a captain, and now his legacy in Vancouver feels “tarnished” or at least complicated.

Others said they would never feel comfortable wearing his jersey again. That’s a pretty telling reaction —these fans loved him on the ice, and now this moment makes them pause.

Some fans went so far as to compare Hughes to Mark Messier during his time in Vancouver. They joked (or maybe not) that he might have become the worst captain in franchise history. Others pointed out that, while Quinn can support whoever he wants politically, being a franchise captain and publicly aligning yourself with someone controversial is “not ideal.”

Even beyond Vancouver, some reactions acknowledged the tension of seeing two young stars essentially take a political stance without openly framing it as a political act.

On the flip side, there are definitely fans who don’t see a problem at all. Some point out that visiting the White House is traditional for championship teams, and that athletes aren’t politicians. Rather, they’re just representing their country and taking in a unique experience. Others say the backlash itself shows why players might want to leave Canadian markets, and some see the brothers’ actions as just pride and patriotism rather than a statement.

What Canadian-Based Fans Seem to Agree On

Even amid divided opinions, a few themes emerge. One, the brothers have been front and center in everything since the Olympics. Two, their stardom is only growing — not just in hockey circles, but across sports and social media.

Three, this White House visit and the photos that came with it have made fans realize just how complicated it is to be a public figure who’s also tied to a city, a franchise, and a national conversation. And four, whether you love or hate what they did, you can’t ignore that Quinn and Jack are influencing perceptions of hockey, Canada, and the Olympics in ways fans didn’t anticipate.

The Takeaway From All This

At the end of the day, what we’re seeing is a mix of hockey fandom, civic opinion, and celebrity culture colliding. Quinn and Jack Hughes are talented athletes with huge moments to their names, but their off-ice choices are sparking real conversations. That’s especially true in Vancouver, where Quinn’s leadership role made him a symbol to many fans. Some are thrilled to see him succeed on the international stage, while others are struggling to reconcile their pride with their personal and political feelings.

It’s just a reminder that today’s hockey players live under a microscope — everything they do, on the ice or off, gets picked apart. For Quinn Hughes, showing up at the White House is one small piece of a bigger thing: how fans latch onto athletes, how legacies get built or twisted, and how even a simple visit can blow up when everything’s so high-stakes.

Love them or hate them, Quinn and Jack Hughes are dominating Canadian sports conversation. That story is not going away anytime soon.