NHL Can Wait, USA Hockey Players Deserve Victory Tour |

While many worry that promoting American male hockey players will cut into their NHL earnings, others see it for what it is: a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The NHL can wait, America's hockey players deserve their victory lap.

If these players want to spend the next 72 hours basking in their glory, I said let them go.

The United States men's Olympic hockey team is expected to fly to Miami instead of New York on Monday after winning the gold medal against Canada, and the boys in red, white and blue will be celebrating in style.

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I tried to tell you that this was happening.The sun has been as predictable as rising in the East, especially with a guy like Florida Panthers forward Matthew Tkachuk leading the way.

We all know what happened the last time the championship team celebrated in Miami on E11even.

And this is not all.

After their exciting victory over their northern neighbors, the Americans jumped on the phone without President Donald Trump, who gave the usual comedy, then extended a special invitation to the new members of the gold medal club.

As has been noted several times, the NHL season starts on Wednesday, so this could be a challenge for some Team USA players.

Most of the athletes in question are some of, if not the best players on their respective NHL teams, so partying in Miami for 36 hours and then heading to the White House to jam with Trump at the State of the Union address could put those teams in an awkward position.

For a guy like Auston Matthews, who plays for the Toronto Maple Leafs, missing a game to hang with Canada's archenemy wouldn't be a popular choice.

With all due respect to the fans of this NHL team, take the complaints and stick to where they shine.

This is a unique opportunity for each of these players.

They just beat the Monsters hockey team from Space Jam and are now on the most deserved victory lap in sports history.

These guys won a gold medal representing the best country on earth.Who cares if they get beat up in a bar in Miami and then go to the White House?

We should encourage this kind of thing.It's a true hero's welcome!

I'm a huge Panthers fan and right now my cats are outside looking at the playoff picture.

They could use all the help they can get, and Matthew Tkachuk is one of their best players.But I would be horrified if he missed celebrating the USA's first gold medal in hockey in nearly half a century.

All brochures, people.

This man did something that will be remembered until the heat death of the universe.If they want to spend the next 72 hours basking in their glory, let them.

And if they lose a game or two in the NHL because of it, so be it.

A wise man once said, "Heroes are remembered, but legends never die."

Go talk, boy.

The NHL will still be there when you all come back.