Brett Connolly will join his teammate Devante Smith-Pelly and not attend the Washington Capitals’ visit to the White House. Connolly said his decision had “nothing to do with politics, it’s about what’s right and wrong,” and that there would be “a few guys not going.”
The news was first reported by John Matisz of theScore from Toronto, and the full video of Connolly’s quotes are available on TSN.
Brett Connolly says he won’t be part of the Capitals’ White House visit.
— John Matisz (@MatiszJohn) August 29, 2018
Insists it’s not about politics. Did not want to go into detail about his reasoning but says it’s “about what’s right and wrong.”
— John Matisz (@MatiszJohn) August 29, 2018
Full quote (1/2): “Personally, I don’t think I’m going to go … it has nothing to do with politics. For me, I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do…
— John Matisz (@MatiszJohn) August 29, 2018
(2/2): “Everyone is entitled to their opinion. I think there’ll be a few guys not going, too. Like I said, it has nothing to do with politics, it’s about what’s right and wrong, and we’ll leave it at that.”
— John Matisz (@MatiszJohn) August 29, 2018
DSP first commented on not visiting the White House in June, telling the National Post’s Michael Traikos that “The things that [Donald Trump] spews are straight-up racist and sexist … I already have my mind made up.”
Smith-Pelly commented again on the matter Tuesday at BioSteel Camp, saying it was an “easy decision” not to attend. “The thing about that team is everyone is an individual and they let you be yourself.”
During the team’s breakdown day in June, most Capitals players seemed happy to accept the Trump White House honor.
Alex Ovechkin, the Capitals’ Russian captain, was excited.
“Yeah, I’m looking forward. I can’t wait,” Ovechkin said. “I never been there. I want to take pictures around it. It will be fun.”
Other stars like TJ Oshie and Nicklas Backstrom echoed Ovechkin’s sentiment, saying a visit would be “amazing” and “pretty cool” respectively.
Defenseman Brooks Orpik took a more diplomatic approach, via the Washington Post.
“We all have our opinions on it; it’s a very sensitive issue,” Orpik said. “It’s just kind of the way things are going these days. If you don’t have the same belief as somebody else then automatically they think you’re wrong and they take it personally, which politics isn’t supposed to be that way. You’re allowed to have disagreement, but my opinion is that you’re supposed to respect the other person’s decision.”
A handful of professional athletes and players have opted to not attend a White House visit this year. The Golden State Warriors used their day in the nation’s capitol to visit the National African American and Culture Museum with children from Seat Pleasant, Maryland, and the Philadelphia Eagles’ visit was canceled over the National Anthem dispute.
Headline image: TSN
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