Fourteen months ago, an Eagle editorial congratulated the Pittsburgh Penguins on the first anniversary of the opening of their training complex in Butler County.

The UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex opened Aug. 17, 2015, in Cranberry Township. The $70 million training complex is a two-story, 185,000-square-foot building with two rinks, 1,500 total seats and extensive accommodations for medicine, physical therapy and training. It has 1,500 square feet of hockey skills training space and a dedicated sports performance department.

“It could be sheer coincidence that the Penguins immediately went out and won the coveted Stanley Cup world championship trophy,” the August 2016 editorial read.

Five months ago, the Pens were engaged in another Stanley Cup final, which they eventually won. Again, the Eagle editorialized about the franchise’s commitment to player development, and to its training home in Cranberry Township.

“The hockey revolution going on in Cranberry is more than a display of regional pride, too. The UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex is testimony to the present and future of ice hockey,” we wrote June 5. “There’s a well conceived the carefully executed plan to develop a franchise to its fullest potential, primarily by taking good care of its players.”

On Tuesday, those players got a red-carpet welcome at the White House, along with their coaches, owners and a select group of government and community leaders from Western Pennsylvania.

Trump heaped praises on the Penguins in a video recorded ceremony that has been replayed over countless national news and sports programs. The president mentioned the team’s commitment to brain injury research and prevention, among other initiatives that enhance our community.

Few spotlights shine as brightly as the light on the president’s bully pulpit. The players were all smiles and no words, determined not to let their celebrity moment become a political statement of any kind.

That was a smart move, which should come as no surprise to Penguins fans. A series of smart moves has steadily increased the organization’s value and managed a successful defense of its National Hockey League title.

It’s harder to measure the benefits to Cranberry Township and Butler County in terms of the people attracted to UPMC Lemieux — not only players and fans who visit, but professionals who relocate and become part of the community. Their presence, passion and participation improve conditions for everyone.