Detroit Lions in the crosshairs for skipping Juneteenth — but an entire major sports league did too



The day that honors the end of slavery was celebrated unanimously across most sports leagues, with some notable exceptions.

One was the Detroit Lions, who confused fans with their decision not to post any materials in support of Juneteenth.

'It must have been an accident.'

Given that Juneteenth was first recognized as a holiday in 2021 by President Joe Biden, it is not unusual for the day to be overlooked by the common sports fan. For most pro sports teams though, every possible iteration of race or cultural politics typically gets marked down on the calendar.

This was why football fans were confused when the Lions opted not to post anything for Juneteenth, with one Lions supporter assuming "it must have been an accident."

"Just go look at the Lions profile picture," the fan noted; the Lions' X photo features transgender and gay pride colors.

There was no mention of the new holiday from the National Hockey League either, Fox News reported.

The league is only a week removed from the last game of the Stanley Cup Finals, so it is possible employees are on hiatus. However, the NHL has been deeply involved in diversity efforts for years — especially since the Black Lives Matter era — making this a strange move for the league as well.

RELATED: SF Giants commentator compares gays to black people as 'oppressed' minority following Christian protest

Diamond Images/Getty Images

Some players in the league previously complained the NHL wasn't doing enough to support diversity, even after the hiring of a woman named Kim Davis to serve as the executive vice president of social impact, growth initiatives, and legislative affairs.

With a goal to bring diversity to the league and its C-suite, Davis described hockey as a "tribe" that needs to "feel more welcoming."

This eventually led to the NHL Player Inclusion Coalition, which has since wreaked havoc on the league with its initiatives.

Blaze News previously reported on the league-wide controversies surrounding Pride jerseys, Pride tape, and player backlash.

RELATED: Juneteenth only makes sense if natural law is real

Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Still, NFL fans seemed split on the latest issue online, either dragging the Lions organization for not supporting Juneteenth or being puzzled as to why they support other progressive celebrations if they are able to avoid this one.

"I just find it wild that they can support LGBTQ but not black people especially since most of their team is Black," an X user wrote.

Another reaction from the story had one fan saying they had grown to hate the "weird idea of social media telling teams what to do."

With the Lions as the lone standout in the NFL, they join the Texas Rangers of the MLB who similarly are the only team in their league not to celebrate gay pride with a dedicated night.

The Lions and the NHLPA, which runs the Player Inclusion Coalition along with the NHL, did not respond to a request for comment from Blaze News.

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Video: Dallas Stars fans accused of performing 'Nazi salutes' as goal celebration



A ticketholder at a Dallas Stars hockey game has said she called a fan misbehavior hotline on a group of men for doing what she describes as "Nazi salutes."

The Stars' home arena and the hockey team are investigating the incident that has gone viral online due to a fan video.

'It was every goal they were doing it.'

The viral video was taken by Courtney Ripley, a Stars fan who was near the four men in question when they were making the alleged hand gestures during the game.

Typically, fans at American Airlines Center make a fist pump motion while chanting the "Dallas Stars" team name repeatedly. However, Ripley told WFAA-TV that "this group of men were doing Nazi salutes instead."

"It was shocking," she said. "It was every goal they were doing it."

Ripley also said she reported the group of fans to the arena's fan misbehavior hotline and was told that the organization sent a staff member to speak with the men. However, despite allegedly providing her video and their seat numbers, Ripley said not only was she told the men could not be located but that she never saw staff approach them at all.

"Kind of disappointing on that front too, a little bit," she told WFAA.

RELATED: 'We want to be inclusive': After Christian player posts Bible verses, Patriots coach says team needs to be 'educated'

Ripley told the local outlet that the video only recently went viral, despite it being filmed during a December 21 game against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Now, the American Airlines Center is coordinating with the Stars for an investigation.

"American Airlines Arena (AAC) has zero tolerance for any acts of hate and/or discrimination, and we aim to ensure an environment for our guests that is free from disruptive behaviors, including foul/abusive language and obscene gestures," the arena said in a statement, per ESPN.

"As such, we strongly denounce the actions that appear to be depicted in the video footage and are conducting an internal investigation."

A spokesperson for the Stars told ESPN on Thursday that the franchise is "fully aligned with the arena's statement" and is working with the team to "find out exactly what happened."

RELATED: Female ex-referee accuses NFL of sexism, sues after she was allegedly made to perform 'an utterly humiliating' act

Glenn James/NHLI/Getty Images

American Airlines Center has a plethora of prohibited behaviors they list as "disturbances," which can result in an ejection from the arena. They include standing on chairs, "mooning," interfering with the game, and lighting a fire.

Obvious infractions also include drunk and disorderly conduct, fighting, throwing objects, or violating laws.

While profanity and offensive words are also prohibited, the arena's rules do not appear to include anything about gestures unless they are part of "taunting" players, employees, referees, or performers.

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Charles Barkley defends Team USA White House visit — but says Trump needs to stop doing one thing



NBA legend Charles Barkley says "stupid" people "need something to trigger them."

The Hall of Fame player was referring to the Team USA men's Olympic hockey team visiting President Donald Trump at the State of the Union address and the White House last month. The event sparked controversy because of the way Trump delivered the invite.

'I'm not a Trump guy. I want to make that clear.'

The president called the men's locker room after the team defeated Canada 2-1 in the gold medal game on February 22, but his invite to the White House included a joke about the women's gold medal team.

"We're going to have to bring the women's team," the president told the team as they laughed. He added that he "probably would be impeached" if he didn't.

While the call resulted in apologies, condemnations, and struggle sessions with the media, Barkley defended the team's choice to visit the capital.

"Guys who didn't want to go shouldn't have to explain why they didn't go. I've said this before. I'm not a Trump guy. But if I got invited to the White House, I would go," Barkley told co-host Ernie Johnson on "The Steam Room."

"I'm not a Trump guy. I want to make that clear," Barkley reiterated. "But I respect the office. He's the president of the United States. But if guys don't want to go, I understand that too. It doesn't have to be a talking point. It doesn't have to be ... 'un-American.'"

Earlier in the discussion, the 63-year-old made a point of saying that while he did not agree with everything the government does, he understands that the general public can't stop themselves from being triggered.

RELATED: Boston Bruins players cave over Trump phone call: 'Certainly sorry' — 'we should have reacted differently'

"Yo, man, why do y'all have to mess up everything?" Barkley said about Trump's phone call. He then told his fellow Americans to stop "falling for stupidity" like that, while also placing blame on the government for purposely saying things that trigger people.

"I know y'all say stuff to trigger them. Y'all say stuff, and y'all know they going to be fools," Barkley told the administration.

When co-host Johnson tried to redirect Barkley's blame to Trump's call to the hockey team, the former athlete said that people should control themselves and not react to everything, but also that they often react anyway because they are "stupid."

"We don't have to fall for stupidity, Ernie," Barkley argued. "But we do, [and] that's my point. These people out here are stupid. They need something to trigger them."

RELATED: Team USA players interrogated by woke Canadian media over Trump call — 'Why would you laugh?'

Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Barkley went on to say he did not like how divisive the phone call had become, and that such division has "screwed up" the United States.

"Everything is not Democrat, Republican, conservative, or liberal," he argued. "That's why we got this divided, screwed-up country."

"Stop it, man," Barkley soon pleaded, looking directly into the camera. The Alabaman then reinforced his reasoning one more time.

"The public — they're idiots. They're fools. They can't think for themselves."

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Team USA players interrogated by woke Canadian media over Trump call — 'Why would you laugh?'



A Canadian sports reporter blamed the internet for backlash she received over her questions to American hockey players.

Members of Team USA men's Olympic hockey team have been lectured by media members for days now after laughing at a joke made by President Trump over the phone.

'If we were to do it again, I think we wouldn't do that, and we made a mistake.'

Trump called the team in the locker room after their gold medal win on Sunday and made a joke that has offended woke reporters, seemingly worldwide.

"We're going to have to bring the women's team," the president joked about the Team USA women, who also won gold. He added that he "probably would be impeached" if he didn't.

For daring to laugh, U.S. players have been subjected to struggle sessions in their individual markets from hockey reporters. Seemingly the worst of such examples has come out of Canada's capital, where Americans Jake Sanderson and Brady Tkachuk play for the Ottawa Senators.

Both players were given a browbeating from TSN reporter Claire Hanna, a Canadian who lists her pronouns as "she/her" on her X page.

Sanderson told reporters that while he thought things had been "blown out of proportion a little bit," he still thought it was a "mistake" to laugh at the president's joke.

"We have nothing but the utmost respect for the women. We had a lounge in the village that we were hanging out with them all the time, watching other events," Sanderson said.

That answer was not good enough, though, and Hanna sought further clarification.

"Do you understand in the moment how much it could hurt a team to hear them kind of just be put down that way?" the female reporter asked.

"If we were to do it again, I think we wouldn't do that, and we made a mistake. But again, I think it kind of got blown out of proportion a little bit," Sanderson answered.

RELATED: Boston Bruins players cave over Trump phone call: 'Certainly sorry' — 'we should have reacted differently'

The scrum of reporters was incessant with questions about the Trump call and the players' subsequent visit to the White House and State of the Union address.

Tkachuk was not spared from these queries, explaining that only 15 minutes after leaving the ice with the gold medal, "You have the president of the United States calling you. You just can't really believe [it]."

"You're still riding the high of being a world champ, and for the president to take time and call ...," Tkachuk trailed off before sharing a memory from the Olympics.

Still, no amount of positive reinforcement about the women's team could save Tkachuk, as Hanna soon asked, "Do you understand how they could feel pretty put down by that moment?

"I get it," Tkachuk replied. "I have no really other comments other than, you know, for the things that we can control, and that was, you know, we supported them, they supported us. Can't control what other people say. That's just kind of life itself."

With Tkachuk praising the women's team and saying they were clearly the best squad in the tournament, most would think that Tkachuk had touched on the narrative enough, but Hanna again pressed forward.

RELATED: Team USA captain goes full feminist over Trump's 'distasteful' invitation: 'It's a great teaching point'

'"So then why would you laugh when they got invited?" the reporter asked.

"I don't really have an answer, honestly," an exhausted Tkachuk stated. "It was just a whirlwind of a moment that you can't really control what somebody says, and I guess caught off guard a little bit. "

The American reiterated, "When you're talking to the president 10 minutes after you just achieve your dream, it's just the fact that you're talking to him. It's just, you can't really believe where your life's at, that you're talking to the president of the United States after you just won a gold medal."

Hanna, seemingly shrugging off a bevy of backlash, wrote on X, "I see the internet is angry today."

This only garnered more disgruntled fan remarks.

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Boston Bruins players cave over Trump phone call: 'Certainly sorry' — 'we should have reacted differently'



The two Boston Bruins players who represented the United States at the 2026 Olympics have succumbed to media pressure.

Seemingly every player from Team USA's gold medal-winning men's hockey team is facing a struggle session from local reporters who are asking them why they laughed at a joke made by President Trump.

'Certainly not reflective of how we feel and look at them and their accomplishments.'

When the president called the men's locker room after they defeated Canada 2-1 on Sunday, he invited the team to the State of the Union as well as to the White House before making a wisecrack about also inviting the women's gold medal team.

"We're going to have to bring the women's team," the president joked, adding that he "probably would be impeached" if he didn't.

Since then, the league-wide hunt for unauthorized laughter has commenced, and some players are starting to show cracks in their armor.

Bruins players were seemingly the first to show significant regret for laughing with the president, starting with goalie Jeremy Swayman. The Team USA backup goalie called it an "incredible honor" to attend the State of the Union but then told reporters that the team should have had a different reaction to the phone call.

"We should have reacted differently," Swayman said from the locker room on Wednesday. "We know that we are so excited for the women's team. We have so much respect for the women's team, and to share that gold medal with them is something that we're forever grateful for."

The Alaskan added, "Now that we're home, we get to share that together forever and see the incredible support that we have from the USA and sharing this incredible gold medal."

RELATED: Team USA captain goes full feminist over Trump's 'distasteful' invitation: 'It's a great teaching point'

On Thursday, it was more of the same from Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy, a 28-year-old New Yorker who also suited up for the United States.

McAvoy said he was "certainly sorry for how we responded to it in that moment," before qualifying that there were "things that just happened really quick there."

The longtime Bruin told reporters that the relationship between the men's and women's teams is incredibly strong, and their reaction to the president's joke was "certainly not reflective of how we feel and look at them and their accomplishments."

On the subject of his visit to the White House, McAvoy revealed he had always told himself that such an opportunity was one he would never miss.

"Just the history of that building, the history of this country. You know, if I get a chance to go to ... I was certainly going to go."

RELATED: NJ governor crushed with boos at Devils game before honoring Team USA hero Jack Hughes

Trump's remarks have caused a meltdown among sports reporters, who have incessantly sought comment from the male and female athletes in question.

In response, Team USA women's captain Hilary Knight lectured her countrymen during interviews this week, describing the backlash as being a "teaching point."

Knight also called the joke "distasteful and unfortunate," before saying the male players had a "lapse" in judgment by laughing at Trump's remarks.

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NJ governor crushed with boos at Devils game before honoring Team USA hero Jack Hughes



Between raucous cheers for America's gold-medal hero, New Jersey's new governor felt the brunt of sports fans' disdain.

Fans at the Prudential Center in Newark were treated to a fantastic pregame ceremony on Wednesday that celebrated Jack Hughes, who scored the gold medal-winning goal for Team USA against Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics on Sunday.

'You guys are making me emotional.'

After a speech from Hughes got the crowd both pumped up and emotional, newly elected New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) and her husband, Jason Hedberg, were welcomed on the ice for the ceremonial puck drop.

After a parade of kids holding American flags adorably stepped onto the ice, the public address announcer welcomed the governor and the state's first gentleman before boos rained down upon them.

Some significant booing was also heard when the governor was again announced as she handed Hughes a folded state flag.

Beforehand, Hughes brought the house down with his speech, first celebrating alongside Buffalo Sabres player and fellow Team USA member Tage Thompson. Hughes brought Thompson onto the ice for a short lap before delivering his heartfelt remarks.

RELATED: NHL posts adorable 'girl dad' photo of hockey player — then deletes it after maniacal anti-Trumpers lose their minds

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"I'm so proud, and I'm so happy that the men's and women's USA hockey teams brought gold medals back to the United States of America," Hughes said to wild cheers.

As the arena's scoreboard showed a picture of Hughes that read, "The best in the world are made in Jersey," the star forward was on the verge of tears.

"You guys are making me emotional, but I'm so proud to represent the New Jersey Devils organization. And I'm so, so proud to represent the great state of New Jersey. So proud," he continued.

"From the bottom of my heart, all our, all my teammates, USA teammates, we just want to thank you guys for all the love and the support. We feel it. Thank you," the 24-year-old concluded.

RELATED: Team USA's amazing gold-medal gesture you may have missed

Photo by Andrew Maclean/NHLI via Getty Images

Hughes was awarded with a New Jersey state flag, a certificate, and a signing pen in honor of the state's recognition of his accomplishment.

Gov. Sherrill won the 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial election with 56.88% of the vote, beating out Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli by more than five points.

Moderates and independents both sided with Sherrill, according to exit polls, with health care being a strong driver of votes among liberal supporters.

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NHL posts adorable 'girl dad' photo of hockey player — then deletes it after maniacal anti-Trumpers lose their minds



The deranged response to a "girl dad" photo of a hockey player led the National Hockey League to delete a post completely unrelated to President Donald Trump.

The photo showed Washington Capitals center Dylan Strome with his 2-year-old daughter dressed up like a princess at a makeover boutique in Disneyland.

'The comments and messages about my TWO YEAR OLD DAUGHTER are some of the most vile and disgusting things I have ever read in my life.'

While most people found the post adorable, some commenters tied it to the Olympic men's hockey team accepting a call from President Donald Trump after its incredible gold-medal victory. Some of the players laughed when the president joked that he would be called misogynistic if he didn't invite the women's team to the White House as well.

But there was a problem with that criticism — Strome had nothing to do with that call and didn't play in the Olympics. Also, he's Canadian.

A screenshot of some of the responses included:

  • "Laughing at a misogynistic joke a rapist and pedophile told — more like worst girl dad ever."
  • "Not using the daughter as a human shield my god today."
  • "A girl dad would put out a statement that he meant no harm by laughing along with a convicted rapist/pedophile mocking the women's team who has meddled [sic] way more than the men."
  • "Oh yea suuuuucha lover of women, think he'll laugh at her accomplishments too??"
  • "I feel sorry for the kid ... imagine having THAT as your dad."

"Crazy being a 'girl dad' and worshipping a pedophile," another response reads.

"No. Absolutely not. An ultimate girl dad would NOT disparage & laugh at a women's team who is 10x better than his own. He is obviously a woman-hater, just like Trump. F**k those biggest losers," another user responded.

"Don't hide misogyny behind 'girl dad.' Being a girl dad means fighting for equal pay, equal respect, and equal opportunity — EVERYWHERE. I coach my daughter's team. I elevate women's sports. I fight for their bodily autonomy. That's what it actually looks like. Shame on you, @NHL," another crazed message reads.

"So he watches a video on his phone while wearing a 'girl dad' hat. That's all a girl can ask for, right? Certainly not standing up against misogyny from a pedophile rapist who pooped his pants longer than she did," another critic replied.

The NHL deleted the post from social media but has not indicated a reason for the deletion.

Strome's wife, on the other hand, had much to say to those who irrationally attacked her husband and her daughter.

"We were placed into a narrative that we have absolutely nothing to do with, and we certainly did not choose to have our family used in it. You can debate adults all you want, but dragging my husband and especially my toddler into something that has nothing to do with us is beyond unacceptable," she wrote.

RELATED: Raucous applause erupts for Olympic men's hockey team at State of the Union: 'What special champions you are!'

"The comments and messages about my TWO YEAR OLD DAUGHTER are some of the most vile and disgusting things I have ever read in my life," she added. "This isn't about politics. She is a child. Full stop. Do better. [And] to everyone who has reached out or addressed this situation with more than a single brain cell, thank you."

The president invited the U.S. men's team and the women's team to his State of the Union speech Tuesday, and while the men attended, the women's team declined.

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Team USA's amazing gold-medal gesture you may have missed



Before a call from President Donald Trump and a few drinks with FBI Director Kash Patel, Team USA men's hockey made a heartfelt tribute to one of their compatriots.

After the players received their gold medals for a stunning 2-1 win over Team Canada on Sunday, viewers may have noticed a couple of youngsters on the ice posing for the team picture, along with a loose hockey jersey.

'When we got the call to come out, it felt like maybe he did make the team.'

No, those were not captain Auston Matthews' children. Nor were they superstar goalie Connor Hellebuyck's children. They were Noa and Johnny Jr., children of the late Johnny Gaudreau.

In 2023, Gaudreau, 31, and his younger brother Matthew, 29, were tragically killed by a drunk driver while riding bicycles in Oldmans Township, New Jersey. Gaudreau was one of the star players for the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, while Matthew was a former professional hockey player who last played in the ECHL.

In yet another wonderful gesture, Team USA invited Johnny Gaudreau's widow, Meredith, to join the team in Italy on Saturday, along with the Gaudreau brothers' parents, Guy and Jane. The whole family was in the audience for the gold-medal game.

"To be able to get it done like that, to win, to have his jersey out there in the team photo, have his kids come out and be with us, we're obviously thinking of him," Auston Matthews said, per ESPN. "Just felt like the impact that he's had on so many guys in this room is special. He was with us in spirit the whole tournament," Matthews added.

RELATED: 'LOTS OF WINNING!!!' Trump praises America's historic hockey victory at Winter Olympics

"It's fun to be a part of this," Meredith said before the game.

"When we got the call to come out, it felt like maybe he did make the team. So it's fun. Here to represent him and support everyone that's honoring him, as well."

Meredith revealed to a reporter that she only had two days' notice before making the trip overseas to join the squad, but she said it was something she simply could not pass up.

"Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the kids. So that was the main reason that drove me out here," the mother continued, before delivering some truly heartbreaking remarks.

"I feel like I have two roles in life now: It's honor John, my husband, and make sure these kids know how special their dad is and give them some special opportunities."

RELATED: NHL superstar Johnny Gaudreau and brother killed by suspected drunk driver on eve of sister's wedding: 'Unimaginable tragedy'

Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images

USA forward Dylan Larkin firmly stated that "Johnny and Matty should be here."

"That is the biggest loss that all of us at USA Hockey, their family, our family, has gone through," Larkin continued. "And to have Johnny Jr. and Noa out there, it just felt right."

Larkin added that he thought the Gaudreau brothers may have had a hand in stopping some pucks from going into the USA net.

"And I think part of those, the puck not going in our net, was somehow him standing there doing something, laughing with Matty. Just somehow they put a spell around our net where that puck didn't go in."

Larkin then joked around, reportedly smiling while saying, "Ironic, on the defensive side; he would've never been back there," he said about Johnny.

These comments nearly mirrored what was said about the late brothers by their sister, Katie.

Katie jokingly told Fox News that while her brothers were "never quite defensive," she thought a couple of saves had some assistance from above.

"Up there, they were definitely helping out."

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Surprise? WNBA has highest share of Democrat voters, more than any other major US sports league



An analysis of voter registration says WNBA players have the biggest share of Democrats of any professional sports league in the country.

The data comes from reporters Peter Lutz and Zachary Donnini, who gathered voter registration numbers from professional athletes across five major American sports organizations: the NBA, NFL, NHL, MLB, and WNBA.

The MLB could be considered the most Republican of the leagues and is the only one that is majority Republican.

The data showed that not only is the WNBA the only league in which the majority of voter registration is Democrat, but it by far has the lowest percentage of registered Republicans.

More than two-thirds (67.5%) of registered voters in the WNBA are Democrats, according VoteHub, which showed that 30.2% were independents, while just 2.3% were Republican.

The NBA was the next-most Democratic-leaning, with 42.9% registered with the left-wing party and just 10% Republican.

The NFL also had more Democrats than Republicans, 34.3% to 20.2%.

Registered voters in the NHL had the lowest percentage of registered Democrats, 5.6% versus 43.9% registered as Republicans.

Meanwhile the MLB offered the highest share of registered Republicans at 53.7% against just 7.8% registered Democrats. This means that the MLB could be considered the most Republican of the leagues and is the only one that is majority Republican.

Independents represented the highest share of voters for the NBA, NFL, and NHL.

RELATED: WNBA star just admitted the truth about biology — and her fellow players won't be happy

Photo by Elsa/Getty Images

More of the data was reported by America First Post, which showcased voter registration by position in the NFL. Defensive backs were most Democrat-leaning — defensive back was also the only position that was majority Democrat (51%).

Six of the 11 positions shown were more Republican than Democrat, with Republicans representing 50% or more of registered voters in three of those positions.

For long snappers (61%) and punters (57%), the majority of registered voters were Republican; kickers were 50% Republican. According to the data, none of the NFL's punters are registered as Democrats. Most teams carry just one punter, which means there are likely between 30 to 40 in the NFL.

For offensive linemen (26%), quarterbacks (33%), and tight ends (34%), more players were registered Republican than Democrat.

RELATED: NBA legend calls on Trump to implement mandatory military service

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

The overall data tracks with exit polling from the 2024 presidential election, which shows that 53% of women voted for Democrats, although the women of the WNBA greatly exceed those numbers.

As of 2023, 70.4% of NBA players are black. In the 2024 presidential election, 77% of black men voted Democrat.

In the NFL, defensive backs are nearly entirely black, yet as mentioned, only 51% of those players are registered Democrat.

Outwardly conservative WNBA players are hard to find, given the league's 2.3% Republican voters. However most fans point to Indiana Fever player Sophie Cunningham as a possibility.

The 29-year-old notably shared posts from Charlie Kirk's memorial in 2025 and recently made a friendly post directed at Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe from her home state of Missouri.

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Alex Ovechkin and most of Washington Capitals players skip Pride Night ritual



Washington Capitals players from outside North America may not be as used to Pride Nights as other athletes.

On Saturday night, the Capitals celebrated alternative sexual lifestyles with their "All Caps All Love" night, posting rainbow and transgender flags ahead of their gay-memorabilia auction.

'We proudly stand with the LGBTQ+ community.'

After the NHL banned themed jerseys in 2023, some fought for the right to use rainbow-colored stick tape, and won. That is how select Capitals players decided to show their gay pride on Saturday night against the reigning champion Florida Panthers, but as the teams took the ice, viewers noticed only eight of the Capitals' 20 dressed players took part.

John Carlson, Nic Dowd, Brandon Duhaime, Hendrix Lapierre, Connor McMichael, Dylan Strome, Logan Thompson, and Trevor van Riemsdyk were the eight players spotted on video and cited in an article by outlet Russian Machine Never Breaks.

However, missing from the group was captain, and the NHL's all-time scoring leader, Alexander Ovechkin.

RELATED: Pro-transgender Seattle Kraken jersey enrages NHL fans: 'Feel some trans joy'

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Interestingly, all of the players that participated were from either the United States or Canada; none of the Capitals players born overseas participated in the stunt.

This included center Aliaksei Protas from Vitebsk, Belarus, left winger Ivan Miroshnichenko from Ussuriysk, Russia, defenseman Martin Fehérváry from Bratislava, Slovakia, and defenseman Rasmus Sandin from Uppsala, Sweden.

Despite their leader and biggest star not participating in their festivities, the Capitals went all out in their support for certain sexual preferences with promotional videos and statements.

"We proudly stand with the LGBTQ+ community, and celebrate the importance of inclusion every day," Strome, from Mississauga, Canada, said in a team video.

RELATED: Florida Panthers praise Trump during White House visit: 'Nothing beats this'

Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

"It was great," Dowd of Huntsville, Alabama, said in a post-game interview. "Every year we've put this on, guys lean into it and support it, and I thought it was another good night. I thought the Caps did a great job of showcasing it."

The team also hosted the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington, D.C., on the ice that night, but that was not enough to push them ahead of the Panthers, and the Capitals lost 5-2.

Fans in Seattle were recently outraged and piled plenty of backlash onto their Seattle Kraken team for supporting transgenderism with a themed logo, which inexplicably featured a unicorn drawn by a tattoo artist who said "queerness" inspires her work.

"Being able to be in Seattle surrounded by the queer community and being exposed to the queerness I never got to experience growing up, it inspires my work a lot," the artist said.

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