The Chicago Blackhawks were honored on Thursday at the White House to celebrate their Stanley Cup championship victory from the 2014-2015 season.
According to the Chicago Tribune, President Barack Obama met with the team and spoke about their championship from last year. This is the third time in six years that the Blackhawks have been honored at the White House after winning a title. Obama is a Chicago sports fan and he joked with the team that he hopes that the team "can squeeze one more (championship) in before I leave. Because then I definitely will take credit for this amazing championship run."
Obama was given some gifts from the team, including a personalized jersey, but he also was given an extra surprise. CBS Sports reports that Obama was presented with a parking pass "that is good for any event that takes place at the United Center in Chicago." Obama called the gift "the best gift I have ever gotten at the White House."
Obama spoke about the resilience of the team and also made sure to mention praise for "two unsung heroes" in Scott Darling and Kimmo Timonen, who is now retired. Obama spoke about Darling and a recent news report that he helped a homeless man during a road trip for the team. Obama also mentioned the perseverance of Timonen, who had a solid career and also overcame blood clot issues before playing for the Blackhawks last season.
The Blackhawks are currently first in the Central Division standings and they are hoping to add another White House trip in the future.
