During Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on Tuesday, Feb. 25, the 47th President of the United States announced that the next recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom will be Team USA men’s ice hockey goalie Connor Hellebuyck.
The three-time Vezina Trophy winner played a monumental role in the U.S. defeating Canada in Sunday’s gold medal match at the 2026 Olympics, saving 41 of 42 shots en route to a 2-1 overtime victory.
Trump mentioned that he’d ‘never seen a goaltender play as well as goalie Connor Hellebuyck.’ Following the announcement, Trump reiterated that Hellebuyck ‘deserved it.’
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Hellbuyck’s honor will put him on a short list of athletes to be given the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In fact, he is the first hockey player to win the award. Here is the full list of sports figures to have received the award.
Athletes to have received Presidential Medal of Freedom
Hellebuyck would be the 44th sports figure – athletes, coaches, owners and broadcasters – to receive the award. Listed below are all those recipients, including the President who handed out the award.
*- indicates coach
^- indicates owner
Gerald Ford
- Jesse Owens (Track & Field)
- Joe DiMaggio (Baseball)
Ronald Reagan
- Paul ‘Bear’ Bryant (Football)*
- Jackie Robinson (Baseball)
- Earl Blaik (Football)*
George H. W. Bush
- Ted Williams (Baseball)
Bill Clinton
- Arthur Ashe (Tennis)
George W. Bush
- Hank Aaron (Baseball)
- Roberto Clemente (Baseball)
- John Wooden (Basketball)*
- Arnold Palmer (Golf)
- Muhammad Ali (Boxing)
- Frank Robinson (Baseball)
- Jack Nicklaus (Golf)
- Buck O’Neil (Baseball)
Barack Obama
- Billie Jean King (Tennis)
- Stan Musial (Baseball)
- Bill Russell (Basketball)
- Pat Summitt (Basketball)*
- Ernie Banks (Baseball)
- Dean Smith (Basketball)*
- Charlie Sifford (Golf)
- Yogi Berra (Baseball)
- Willie Mays (Baseball)
- Vin Scully (Baseball Broadcaster)
- Kareem Abdul‑Jabbar (Basketball)
- Michael Jordan (Basketball)
Donald Trump
- Roger Staubach (Football)
- Bob Cousy (Basketball)
- Tiger Woods (Golf)
- Dan Gable (Wrestling)
- Lou Holtz (Football)*
- Babe Didrikson Zaharias (Golf)
- Gary Player (Golf)
- Annika Sörenstam (Golf)
- Roger Penske (Auto Racing)^
- Mariano Rivera (Baseball)
- Babe Ruth (Baseball)
- Connor Hellebuyck (Hockey)
Joe Biden
- Simone Biles (Gymnastics)
- Megan Rapinoe (Soccer)
- Katie Ledecky (Swimming)
- Magic Johnson (Basketball)
- Lionel Messi (Soccer)
