Joe Biden came to Canada seeking a show of unity on Ukraine, climate change and trade, but the US president also delighted in poking at the northern nation’s main sports rivalry.
(Bloomberg) — Joe Biden came to Canada seeking a show of unity on Ukraine, climate change and trade, but the US president also delighted in poking at the northern nation’s main sports rivalry.
“I have to say, I like your teams, except the Leafs,” Biden said at the beginning of his address to the Canadian parliament in Ottawa on Friday, to strong applause. “They beat the Flyers back in January.”
The Toronto Maple Leafs have won 13 Stanley Cup championships in the National Hockey League, second only to the 23 won by the Montreal Canadiens. However, the storied franchise from Canada’s biggest city and financial capital hasn’t made the finals since its last victory in 1967.
First Lady Jill Biden hails from suburban Philadelphia and is famously a fan of the city’s teams. The Leafs beat the Flyers 6-1 at the Wells Fargo Center on Jan. 8.
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