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Blues make memorable White House visit

BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / AFP / Getty

The 2019 Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues visited the White House on Tuesday, and President Donald Trump was pleased to have them in the Oval Office.

The ceremony didn't start off on a high note. The White House public address announcer apparently didn't have a copy of the NHL pronunciation guide and struggled with the surname of captain Alex Pietrangelo (puh-TRAN-geh-loh).

Trump's time at the mic featured no shortage of memorable moments, including this exchange with goaltender Jordan Binnington.

The president then took a jab at sports agents while bragging about the trade deal he made with China.

Trump brought veteran forward Alexander Steen front and center to show the crowd what toughness looks like. Steen, stereotypical of hockey players, has missing teeth, and Trump jokingly asked the crowd, "Do you think I could take him in a fight?"

White House visits from the NFL and NBA champions have become either rare or nonexistent since Trump took office, but Stanley Cup winners have been a constant. MLB champions have also continued to visit, but some players and staff have declined to attend, including many stars from the 2018 Boston Red Sox and the team's manager.

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