Obama teases Canada as he hails Stanley Cup champ Pittsburgh Penguins

President Barack Obama welcomed the Pittsburgh Penguins, the winner of this year's Stanley Cup, to the White House on Thursday — and he used the occasion for a little cross-border trash talk.

“We're actually making some history here today. I'm proud to be the first president to welcome to the White House eight cup-winning teams, all of whom are based in the United States,” Obama said.


“I reminded the Canadian prime minister, [Justin] Trudeau, who had a state dinner here, about that not too long ago,” he quipped, continuing, “and that, of course, includes this year's outstanding champions. Let's give it up for the Pittsburgh Penguins!”

This is the second time the team has visited the White House during Obama's presidency, the first coming following its Stanley Cup win in 2009.

“Back in 2009, my hair matched the color of the puck more than the ice,” Obama joked as he welcomed the players. “What I like best about this team’s victory is that no one thought they could pull it off. I obviously sympathize with that, they said the same thing about me,” he added.

Obama also praised the team for “what they’ve done for their community" and lauded them for being leaders in energy sustainability in sports.

And he worked in a half-serious plug for his climate policies, joking: “We want to continue to have ice so we can play hockey.”