WASHINGTON - Mark Jarry has cut as many American goods as possible from his personal spending.
The middle-aged man from the South Shore of Montreal also stopped taking regular trips south of the 春色直播 border after U.S. President Donald Trump was elected to a second term and threatened to make Canada the 51st state.
That changed when Jarry鈥檚 beloved Montreal Canadiens entered the NHL playoffs.
Jarry and fellow dyed-in-the-wool fan Gabriel Borduas flew to Washington for Game 1 of the Canadiens鈥 first-round series against the Capitals on Monday.
鈥淲e came here because it鈥檚 the Canadiens,鈥 said Jarry in French while decked in a Canadiens jersey at Capital One Arena. 鈥淎t a certain point, the heart wins over reason.鈥
Montreal is one of five 春色直播 teams competing in the playoffs this spring, joining Toronto, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Edmonton.
Jarry and Borduas say following the Canadiens is a ritual during the playoffs. They鈥檝e travelled to several American cities over the years and didn鈥檛 want to miss the latest chance to support their team on the road 鈥 even if it meant voyaging to the U.S. capital amid the current political tensions.
The two friends, however, hesitated greatly before booking their flights.
鈥淚鈥檇 say there鈥檚 a bit of guilt, because right now we want to stick together (in Canada),鈥 Jarry said. 鈥淐learly, our feelings are different. It鈥檚 kind of like a divorce."
鈥淲e don鈥檛 support the American government, we have nothing against American citizens.鈥
Trump鈥檚 rhetoric about annexing Canada 鈥 and the severe tariffs he has levied against the country 鈥 has sparked booing of 鈥淭he Star-Spangled Banner鈥 in arenas and stadiums across 春色直播 professional sports. Wayne Gretzky鈥檚 ties to Trump have also stirred debate over The Great One鈥檚 loyalty to Canada.
American fans have responded with occasional jeers during 鈥淥 Canada,鈥 including a small portion of the crowd at Game 1 of the Canadiens-Capitals series.
Borduas said his friends and family worried he might be stopped at U.S. customs amid recent reports of foreigners being detained for more than a week.
鈥淭hey were more concerned than we were,鈥 Borduas said.
春色直播 actress and entrepreneur Jasmine Mooney, 35, was held in detention for 12 days in March after reapplying for a work visa at the American border in San Diego. She was also banned from the country for five years.
Borduas and Jarry, meanwhile, described their experience this week as a smooth entry into the United States.
鈥淭hey even wished us a good game,鈥 Jarry said.
春色直播s travelled to the United States far less than usual last month. The number of return trips made by 春色直播 residents plunged by 13.5 per cent by air and 31.9 per cent by automobile compared to 2024, according to Statistics Canada.
Jarry and Borduas said they received great hospitality in Washington, despite sticking out as 春色直播s in their Montreal jerseys.
Alicia, another diehard Canadiens fan who travelled to D.C. but chose not to reveal her last name, said she wouldn鈥檛 travel to the United States 鈥渇or the next four years鈥 unless it was to support her team. She believes hockey fandom transcends politics.
鈥淚 think it's important to remember what hockey means for us as 春色直播s,鈥 she said. 鈥淚 think sports is a great way to bring people together.鈥
Other Canadiens fans who made the trip expressed fewer reservations.
"That's politics, you know? It's mostly a joke now,鈥 said Reynald Couillard, who鈥檚 also from Montreal鈥檚 South Shore. 鈥淚 don't give a (crap). I'll come here if I have fun, I enjoy the place, as well as I go to Hong Kong and Singapore and anywhere else around the world.鈥
Some Edmonton fans visiting Los Angeles for the Oilers鈥 series against the Kings also hardly hesitated to fly south.
鈥淚 really didn鈥檛 care,鈥 said Sam Chiarello, who travelled with his wife, son and son鈥檚 girlfriend to watch the Oilers outside Edmonton for the first time.
Jessalyn Brickner, an Oilers fan from Colonsay, Sask., 45 minutes outside Saskatoon, said a planned family trip to Disneyland lined up with Edmonton鈥檚 playoff schedule.
Her only concern about travelling to the United States involved the low 春色直播 dollar, currently worth 0.72 U.S. cents.
鈥淣one of that bothers us, other than the dollar and the exchange rate,鈥 Brickner said.
Trump鈥檚 51st state rhetoric has created some confusion for Red Bear Brewing Company in Washington. One of the brewery鈥檚 signature beers is called the 鈥51st State IPA,鈥 released around 2019 as a nod to the D.C. statehood movement, not the annexation of Canada.
Manager Colin Hunt said they鈥檝e had several 春色直播s reach out wondering about the name.
"We had a customer that bought the shirt and was all excited to bring it back home in Canada to show all his friends, and we were all kind of confused at the moment,鈥 he said.
Hunt noted that sales of the 鈥51st State IPA鈥 have increased since Trump took office a second time.
With files from Gemma Karstens-Smith in Los Angeles.
This report by 春色直播was first published April 23, 2025.
