Golden Knights visit White House, President Biden to celebrate Stanley Cup championship

WASHINGTON -- Mark Stone had to pause for a moment to collect himself.

The Vegas Golden Knights captain was standing at a podium, addressing an audience in the White House's East Room with President Joe Biden standing only a few feet away.

"It's a lot easier playing hockey in front of 20,000 than this," Stone said. "I can confirm that."

Still, it was an experience that Stone and the Golden Knights won't soon forget. Being honored by President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the White House on Monday for winning the Stanley Cup last season provided them with another opportunity to celebrate -- this time amid historic surroundings.

"Obviously, the main goal when you're playing hockey is to win the Stanley Cup, so it's pretty tough to beat skating around on the ice lifting the Stanley Cup over your head," Stone said. "But these are the kind of experiences that more people can, not relate to, but an experience that more people would probably know about.

"Everyone in the world knows about the White House, so for us to be able to come here and get to experience that is pretty special and pretty rare for people in this world."

It was Stone's first time at the White House. Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo was there when he was honored with the St. Louis Blues after they won the Stanley Cup in 2019 and it was the third time for defenseman Alec Martinez, who won it with the Los Angeles Kings in 2012 and 2014.

"It was fun," Martinez said. "Anytime you get an opportunity to do something like this it's pretty special, and kind of fun to see and watch some of the young guys, it being their first time."

President Biden marveled about how owner Bill Foley and the Golden Knights, "built an ice rink in the middle of the desert," and won the Stanley Cup in their sixth season after entering the NHL as an expansion team in 2017.

"It seemed like a pipe dream, but the team ownership had faith, predicting a playoff run in three years and a Stanley Cup in six," President Biden said. "… Ever since, this team has proved that in Vegas, you can beat the odds."

The Golden Knights had a brief, private meeting with President Biden and Vice President Harris in the State Dining Room before heading to the East Room for the ceremony. Rejoining them for the day was forward Reilly Smith, a member of the Golden Knights from their inaugural season who was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 28.

Former Golden Knights assistant Ryan Craig, now coach of their American Hockey League team in Henderson, also attended with former head athletic trainer Jay Mellette, who now works for Foley's Premiere League soccer team AFC Bournemouth and traveled from England for the ceremony.

"I think it's really cool to kind of get the group together one last time, like Reilly came in, Jay came in, so to get everybody back together one more time on an occasion like this it's pretty special," Pietrangelo said. "Not many people get this opportunity, so you try and take in as much as you can and ask as many questions as you can."

President Biden lauded Stone for working his way back from twice having back surgery. The second one caused him to miss the second half of last season before he returned for the Stanley Cup Playoffs and scored a hat trick in Vegas' 9-3 championship-clinching victory against the Florida Panthers in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Final.

"Mark's my kind of guy," President Biden said.

President Biden also gave a shoutouts to forward Jack Eichel, who led the postseason with 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in and Jonathan Marchessault, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy voted as the most valuable player in the playoffs.

"It's super cool," Eichel said. "You never really dream about coming to the White House, so to get to be on property it's pretty amazing."

President Biden also praised the Golden Knights for their work in the Las Vegas community, particularly for "showing up for victims' families, survivors, first responders" following the mass shooting Oct. 1, 2017.

"The diamonds on your (Cup) ring form a star, the same star on the banner that you raised that honored 58 people who were lost on that day," President Biden said. "You guys are something else. When you raised that banner, this organization said, ‘Your light continues to shine bright,' in no small part because of all of you."

Stone said he wanted to keep his speech short and sweet. He credited Vegas president of hockey operations George McPhee, general manager Kelly McCrimmon and vice president of communications and content Nate Ewell with helping write it.

"It was probably the most nervous I've ever been, if I'm being totally honest, especially speaking," Stone said. "Speaking in Vegas [at the Cup parade], I think I'd had a few drinks, so it was a little bit easier to do that one. But with the president standing a couple steps over, it was definitely pretty nerve-wracking, but I think I did OK."

Stone got laughs, including from President Biden, with a joke about the president's home state.

"It's honor to speak on behalf of not only my teammates, but the entire organization and the city of Las Vegas, which is of course, an amazing city," Stone said. "It's the entertainment capital of the world. I say that with all due respect to Delaware, Mr. President."

Stone was glad the joke worked.

"It's never good when the crowd doesn't take onto it," he said. "But the president took it very well, so that helped."

Stone and McPhee then presented President Biden with a Golden Knights jersey that had No. 46 and Biden on the back, and an engraved golden hockey stick.

"This thing weighs about 800 pounds," Biden joked while admiring the stick. "What a great, great honor."

Following a brief reception, the Golden Knights headed to practice in preparation for the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on Tuesday (7 p.m. ET; SCRIPPS, MNMT). Vegas (12-2-1) leads the NHL with 25 points this season and wouldn't mind coming back next year.

"We hope to be able to do it again," coach Bruce Cassidy said. "But you never know. Maybe a once in a lifetime. And it's a pretty cool experience to be around such important and powerful people and just the building itself. I actually got emotional because I thought Mark spoke so well, too. That was impressive. I was impressed he could be passionate but still funny."