Jets goaltender displays insulting, medal-winning lack of awareness

Connor Hellebuyck is an extraordinary goaltender. On the ice, his excellence is indisputable.

Off the ice, however, the Winnipeg Jets starting goaltender faltered this week, not by accident, not by association, but by choice.

His decision to attend U.S. President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address and to publicly emote over Trump’s announcement that he would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom was a political act. And it deserves to be treated as such.

Some of Hellebuyck’s teammates, some fans and defenders have rushed to construct a comforting narrative: that this was merely an expression of American pride, that Hellebuyck served his country in international hockey, that he is therefore deserving of recognition from the highest office in the land. It is a tidy story. It is also a false one.

There is a profound difference between loving your country and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a man who is actively corroding it.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is not a neutral honour. It is bestowed at the discretion of the president, and it carries with it an implicit endorsement — or at least a validation — of the values, conduct and leadership of the person doing the awarding.

You cannot separate the medal from the person placing it around your neck. You certainly cannot pretend that attending a highly choreographed political spectacle such as a State of the Union address, particularly this one, is apolitical.

There is a profound difference between loving your country and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with a man who is actively corroding it.

If Hellebuyck wanted to demonstrate genuine American patriotism — the kind rooted in democratic values rather than flag-waving symbolism — he would have done the opposite. He would have declined the invitation (as five members of the U.S. Olympic team did).

He would have refused the medal. He would have said, politely but firmly, that he could not stand alongside a president who represents the antithesis of the ideals the United States claims to champion.

Donald Trump is not just another president with whom people happen to disagree. He is a convicted felon. He is a serial liar. He is a racist and a misogynist whose political career has been built on division, resentment and the deliberate dehumanization of others.

More dangerously, he is a president who has systematically undermined democratic institutions — attacking judges, journalists, elections, civil servants and even the peaceful transfer of power itself.

This is not hyperbole. It is the public record.

A proud American does not stand idly by while a reckless, out-of-control president attempts to dismantle the very foundations of democracy in a once-proud nation. A proud American understands that patriotism sometimes requires dissent — that love of country means holding its leaders accountable.

Nor does this controversy exist in a vacuum. Hellebuyck earns his living in Canada. He plays in a Canadian market. He benefits from Canadian fans, Canadian infrastructure and Canadian economic stability. Meanwhile, the man he chose to publicly celebrate is actively attacking Canada’s sovereignty and economy.

Athletes are often quick to insist that sports and politics should not mix, right up until they decide to mix them.

Athletes are often quick to insist that sports and politics should not mix, right up until they decide to mix them. Once that line is crossed, criticism is not only fair, it is inevitable.

You cannot pose for the cameras at a State of the Union, bask in the glow of presidential praise, and then retreat behind the shield of “just being an athlete” when people object.

Hellebuyck is entitled to his political views. He is entitled to admire Trump if he chooses. What he is not entitled to is immunity from scrutiny when he publicly aligns himself with, or at least gives credence to, a political figure whose conduct and policies are so profoundly corrosive, not only to his own country, but to the country in which Hellebuyck works and lives for much of the year.

The idea that accepting Trump’s medal somehow represents service to the United States cheapens the very concept of service. True service to country is not rewarded with medals from strongmen. It is demonstrated through courage — the kind of courage to say no when saying yes is easier, more lucrative or more flattering.

History is not kind to those who remain silent, compliant or celebratory during periods of democratic backsliding. It rarely remembers them as patriots. More often, it remembers them as enablers — people who mistook proximity to power for principle.

Hellebuyck had a choice. He could have used his platform to send a quiet but powerful message that democracy matters more than personal accolades. Instead, he chose the ceremony, the applause and the embrace of a president who is doing measurable harm to democratic norms at home and to allies abroad.

That choice does not negate his achievements as a hockey player. But it does puncture the myth that his actions were somehow noble, apolitical or representative of the best of American values.

Patriotism is not about who hands you a medal. It is about what you are willing to stand up for and what you are willing to stand against.

On that test, Connor Hellebuyck came up short.

tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca

Tom Brodbeck
Columnist

Tom Brodbeck is an award-winning author and columnist with over 30 years experience in print media. He joined the Free Press in 2019. Born and raised in Montreal, Tom graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1993 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and commerce. Read more about Tom.

Tom provides commentary and analysis on political and related issues at the municipal, provincial and federal level. His columns are built on research and coverage of local events. The Free Press’s editing team reviews Tom’s columns before they are posted online or published in print – part of the Free Press’s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.