Avery Cheeseman, arts and culture editor

The U.S. Women’s Olympic Hockey team dominated the Olympic Games in a way no other hockey team has before. They held the longest shutout streak and capped their run with a 2-1 overtime win over Canada. The U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey team also beat Canada for the first time in 46 years, and in a similar fashion. To say I felt the same hope I did as a child playing the sport I loved would be an understatement. 

All my experiences with hockey have ended in heartbreak due to the sport’s culture, and this time was no different. Instead of feeling proud of the men’s hockey team, my opinion quickly soured after their locker room discussion with President Donald Trump. Where Trump complained about having to invite the women’s team or he would be impeached. The US men’s hockey team seemed to find this hilarious. Not surprising as hockey is part of a culture that is inherently misogynistic. 

Hockey culture is built on the performance of masculinity and misogyny against other men. Locker room talk is common in any men’s hockey league. Male hockey players frequently refer to women as “girls” and “chicks,” often without any regret for dismissing the women they care about. The men’s hockey team, laughing at Trump’s joke without a second thought, was, unfortunately, in character. 

For context, here is a breakdown of the National Hockey League. The National Hockey League (NHL) is a league that tends to vote primarily Republican. Among American citizens in the NHL, 43.9% vote Republican, 48.6% Independent, and 5.6% Democrat. Reaching a professional level in hockey requires an exorbitant amount of money. Most NHL players are upper-to-middle-class white men from rural or suburban areas. 

I believe “Heated Rivalry” has significantly shaped how people view hockey. The NHL is the only major North American professional sports league without an openly LGBTQ player. This is not without reason; the league attempted to ban pride tape in 2023 after players refused to wear it, highlighting a lack of support for the LGBTQ community. Hockey is not a safe space for marginalized people of any identity. Sometimes, the feel-good moments in “Heated Rivalry” and the kindness shown to players who come out overshadow the reality for most of the NHL and the broader hockey community. 

I wish I could say I was surprised that the men’s national team laughed with Trump at a misogynistic joke in the locker room or that they attended his State of the Union address the next day, but I’m not. Hockey is a beautiful sport, and I desperately wish I could recapture the childlike enjoyment I once felt, before I experienced its harsh realities. I’m tired of the performative dance of masculinity and misogyny—often paired with other forms of bigotry—that pervades the sport. It’s exhausting, and I feel foolish for following the men’s national team games when I knew the reality of hockey and its culture.