Jake Guentzel had rest, recovery and quality time with loved ones on his mind following a gold-medal run at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics.
Speaking to the media Wednesday, the 31-year-old Lightning winger said he “definitely was not denying the request to go” to the White House as part of Team USA’s victory lap from their overtime triumph against Canada Sunday, but was focused on getting home with a “tough schedule” ahead.
“Just kind of a timing thing for me and my family,” he told reporters. “I definitely was not denying the request to go. It was a dream come true to go, I was fortunate to go in 2017 when [President Donald] Trump was in office.”
Guentzel, who visited 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue after winning the Stanley Cup with the Penguins that year, is in his second season in Tampa Bay, which leads the Atlantic Division with 78 points.
“We got a lot of games coming up the rest of the year, it’s gonna be a tough schedule, so, two weeks of Olympic break, thought it was good to come home, rest and recover and try to spend some time with my family before we get going,” Guentzel said.
Guentzel came home with the gold in his Winter Olympics debut, scoring one goal in Milan.
Teammate Jack Hughes scored the game-winner in Sunday’s overtime thriller, with the 2-1 victory giving the US its first gold in men’s ice hockey since 1980.
The golden group arrived in South Florida on Monday, with 20 of the athletes venturing to Washington, DC, the following day to visit Trump at the White House and attend the State of the Union address.
In addition to Guentzel, Jets winger Kyle Connor, Stars goalie Jake Oettinger, Ducks defenseman Jackson LaCombe and Avalanche forward Brock Nelson skipped the visit.
The NHL resumes play Wednesday, with Guentzel and the Lightning hosting the Maple Leafs.
Guentzel has scored 26 goals and has tallied 34 assists across 55 games this season.