Ottawa Senators Face Backlash Over Perceived PR Move
The Ottawa Senators organization finds itself embroiled in controversy after being accused of engaging in transparent "damage control" following their captain's involvement in the Team USA hockey controversy. Senators winger and captain Brady Tkachuk was among the twenty-five American hockey stars who claimed Olympic gold with a dramatic 2-1 overtime victory against Canada last Sunday. This triumph came just days after the USA women's team secured their own gold medal in identical fashion at the Winter Games.
Trump's Controversial Remarks Spark Fury
However, the gold medal celebrations quickly turned sour when the men's team faced severe criticism for their reaction to comments made by former President Donald Trump during a congratulatory phone call. In a leaked locker room recording, Trump told the players: "I must tell you, we are going to have to bring the women's team, you do know that. I do believe I would probably be impeached [if I didn't invite them]."
The remark, widely condemned as misogynistic, drew immediate laughter from coach Mike Sullivan's players, who promptly accepted Trump's invitation. Although an invitation was subsequently extended to the women's team as well, they initially declined the offer due to scheduling conflicts with academic and professional commitments.
Senators' Video Draws Accusations of Obvious PR
In the wake of mounting backlash against the American players' response, the Ottawa Senators shared a carefully timed video featuring several of their stars naming their "favorite female athlete" ahead of the team's "Women in Sport Night" celebration. Five Senators players highlighted prominent athletes including Canadian soccer legend Christine Sinclair, Canadian hockey captain Marie-Philip Poulin, Swedish freestyle skier Sandra Naslund, and Minnesota Frost star Mae Batherson.
This gesture, however, was met with widespread skepticism and criticism from fans and observers across social media platforms. Many immediately characterized the video as a transparent public relations maneuver designed to distance the organization from the controversy surrounding their captain and the American team.
"Lol serious question, does Michael Scott run this account? This is a comical PR campaign," one social media user questioned, referencing Steve Carell's famously inept character from The Office television series.
Another commenter simply stated "Damage control," while a third pleaded: "Please make your damage control more subtle next time." The criticism continued with one observer noting: "When your PR campaign is so obvious it's actually digging you deeper... [SNL] doesn't really have to do much work this week, it's all here," suggesting Saturday Night Live would have ample material for satire.
Additional comments included "Literally the most obvious PR move. This is actually wild," and "The damage control is not damage controlling." One fan sarcastically inquired: "How much prep time did you have to give them for this question?"
Widespread Condemnation of Trump's Comments
The controversy has drawn condemnation from numerous quarters, including former ESPN personality Keith Olbermann, who asserted that anyone accepting Trump's invitation would be "declaring their indelible stupidity and misogyny."
US women's hockey star Laila Edwards appeared to express disapproval by liking an Instagram post featuring a quote attributed to comedian Tina Fey: "You can tell how smart people are by what they laugh at." The post was captioned simply: "Anyway, women >>>"
Despite the criticism, men's hockey star Jack Hughes defended the team's relationship with their female counterparts, stating: "Everyone in that locker room knows how much we support them, how proud we are of them and we know the same way we feel about them, they feel about us."
Women's Team Responds to Controversy
Hilary Knight, captain of the gold medal-winning women's team, addressed the situation directly on Wednesday, describing Trump's remark as "distasteful and unfortunate" while speaking alongside fellow Olympians Alex Carpenter, Hannah Bilka, and Cayla Barnes in Seattle.
Knight, a two-time gold medalist who holds the record for most goals and points by a US hockey player in Olympic competition, emphasized that the incident shouldn't overshadow Team USA's achievements. "I think just the way women are represented, it's a great teaching point and really shines light on how women should be championed for their amazing feats," she stated.
Although the women's team initially declined the White House invitation due to scheduling conflicts, Trump announced during his State of the Union address on Tuesday night that the women's team would "soon be coming to the White House," suggesting a potential reversal of their earlier decision.
The Ottawa Senators organization has not issued any further statements regarding the controversy or the accusations of damage control surrounding their social media video. The incident highlights the complex intersection of sports, politics, and gender representation that continues to generate heated discussion within the hockey community and beyond.
