Breaking: Caps star player backs out of White House visit!

Washington Capitals fans already knew that two players from last summer’s championship roster would not come to shake hands with President Donald Trump. 

Capitals’ Brett Connolly mentioned last summer after he won the Stanley Cup that he would skip the team’s White House visit if they were invited, and since the invitation is in the mail, the forward confirmed Tuesday he is sticking by that vow. He said he will not attend the event in support of teammate Devante Smith-Pelly. 

“I respectfully decline,” Connolly told The Washington Post. “That’s all I’ll say about it. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. It’s obviously a big deal, and it gains a lot of attention. I’ve been in full support of an old teammate that I’m really good friends with who I agreed with and a guy who will be back here, I’m sure, at the end of the year. That’s all I’ll say.”

DSP had always made it clear he would not want to meet Trump. Despite waived by the Capitals ahead of the trade deadline and is currently with the team’s AHL affiliate in Hershey, Smith-Pelly still has a strong opinion on the American president and Connolly confirmed his decision on his support of his former teammate. 

“The things that he (Trump) spews are straight-up racist and sexist,” Smith-Pelly told Postmedia days after the Capitals won the Stanley Cup. “Some of the things he’s said are pretty gross … It hasn’t come up here, but I think I already have my mind made up.”

On Friday, another player admitted he would be present and that is non other than star goalie Braden Holtby. The number one netminder, who led his team in the last few rounds of the playoffs last spring, has revealed that he needs to stick to his value and therefore refuses to meet with Trump, as per team insider Chis Kuc of The Athletic. 

“Braden Holtby said he will not visit the White House with Capitals teammates on Monday. “I have to stay true to my values.””

"My family and myself, we believe in a world where humans are treated with respect regardless of your stature, what you’re born into. ... You’re asked to choose what side you’re on, and I think it’s pretty clear what side I’m on."

Despite his growing unpopularity, many Caps players are excited about the annual event and feel lucky to meet with the president. 

“It will be fun. It’s exciting, I think, and every time you get an invitation from the president and being at the White House, it’s going to be a great experience,” Nicklas Backstrom said. “I feel like it’s always up to whoever wants to go, but we got the invitation, and it’s been a tradition, I think, for many years. We’re not going to mix politics with sports. It’s because we won last year; that’s why we’re there. Yeah, it’ll be a cool experience, I think.”