The Knights turn the White House Golden! Las Vegas' hockey team gift President Biden a jersey and stick as they celebrate their Stanley Cup triumph in Washington DC

President Joe Biden honored the Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights in a ceremony at the White House on Monday, marking the return of an NHL tradition.

The Golden Knights are the first team to visit Biden at the White House since the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2022, when they celebrated their back-to-back titles won during the pandemic in 2020 and '21. 

The 2022 champion Colorado Avalanche were unable to make a visit work last season because of scheduling conflicts.

The Golden Knights' visit came as President Biden deals with the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and before he heads to San Francisco for a meeting later this week with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The Golden Knights gifted President Biden a hockey stick and gold home jersey with his last name and the number 46 embedded in the back as tokens for their visit. 

President Biden congratulated NHL commissioner Gary Bettman for his 30th year in position before addressing Golden Knights owner Bill Foley.

'Team owner Bill Foley and the entire organization you built on an ice rink in the middle of the desert,' Biden joked. 'Who says you can't get anything done?'

President Biden went on to congratulate coach Bruce Cassidy, Golden Knights fans and players with a special mention for captain Mark Stone. 

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

'Two back surgeries in a year, misses the second half of the season, returns for Game 1 of the Playoffs and scores a hat trick in Game 5 to win the Stanley Cup.'

The Golden Knights appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals following their inaugural season in 2017 but lost to the Washington Capitals in five games.

In their seven years as an organization, the Golden Knights made five playoff appearances, including four trips to the Western conference finals.

In 2023, the Knights captured their first Stanley Cup by beating the Florida Panthers in five games. Left winger Jonathan Marchessault was named the finals MVP. 

'You're proving Vegas sports is one of the best shows in town,' said Biden.

The Golden Knights are the second Las Vegas-based team to win a championship this year after the Las Vegas Aces captured their second straight WNBA title.