By Reese Rankmore, Junior Reporter
Likely the greatest hockey player ever, Wayne Gretzky’s career in the NHL was full of record-setting and memorable moments - enough to have his jersey number 99 retired across the entire NHL and earn him the nickname “The Great One”. Gretzky started his dominant career in his hometown of Brantford, Ontario as a child and became a household name with the Edmonton Oilers, while also being known for his work with various charitable organizations.
However, Gretzky recently found his loyalty to Canada being seriously questioned. When Donald Trump started talking about annexing Canada into the “51st State” in late 2024, a movement of national pride spread rapidly across Canadians, who began doing things like only buying Canadian-made products, cancelling US vacations, flying Canadian flags, and more to support their country. Even though Gretzky, who has lived in the States for many years, didn’t say anything in particular, his actions spoke louder than any of his words could have. Photos of him celebrating Trump’s election win (while wearing a Make America Great Again hat) in November of 2024 and inauguration in January 2025 posted on social media left many people wondering what had happened to their humble Canadian hero.
The real kicker came in February, when the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off began. Four countries (Canada, the United States, Finland, and Sweden) each composed a team of their best NHL players. Hype around the tournament started low - many fans were concerned that players wouldn’t be giving their all, as had been evident in the All-Star games the tournament replaced. However, the timing was perfect as the US-Canada political tensions gave the historic hockey rivalry between the two countries even more meaning, which ultimately gave viewers entertaining hockey to watch and iconic moments like the 3 fights in 9 seconds of the first round-robin game and Connor McDavid’s overtime goal to win the championship for Canada. Wayne Gretzky, however, probably remembers this tournament a little less fondly than the rest of his home country.
Before the final game between the US and Canada, each team brought out an honorary captain. For the US, former hockey player Mike Eruzione came out proudly wearing a USA jersey and pumping up the crowd. For Canada, Gretzky’s entrance left something to be desired in comparison - he wasn’t wearing a jersey, entered the ice from the US bench, and gave the American players a thumbs-up as he passed by. Unlike Eruzione, his face and body language didn’t signal a passion for his country, but instead that he didn’t really want to be there.
Many Canadians felt Gretzky had betrayed the country who loved him dearly - not just by being friends with a figure who was constantly threatening Canada’s sovereignty, but also for not showing support and patriotism for his country at a time when it was needed the most.
Since the 4 Nations, some people have come out in defence of Gretzky. For one, Trump declared on social media afterwards that Gretzky still loves and supports Canada and its sovereignty. His wife, Janet Jones Gretzky, stated on social media that he was heartbroken because of the criticism, saying she had “never met anyone who is more proud to be a Canadian”. Alongside her statement was a letter by Canadian hockey legend Bobby Orr (who has endorsed Trump in the past), stating, “Wayne respects your right to such beliefs — why can't you respect his?” In November 2025, Wayne Gretzky made an appearance on the “100% Hockey” podcast where he defended his Canadian identity. He stated, “I know in my heart I’m Canadian, stayed Canadian and am a Canadian citizen for life, simple as that,” and that he understood the criticism he faced “because Canadians are proud”.
Just over a year since this timeline began, in December 2025, Gretzky posed for a picture with Trump and others while having a game of golf - a month after saying “I’m not into politics…I’m just a hockey player”. While Canadians are more divided than ever on his legacy, only time will tell if Gretzky can win their hearts back - or if he even cares to.
Sources: “Wayne Gretzky.” Wikipedia; Jordan Fleguel, “What Wayne Gretzky has to say about anti-Canadian criticism.” CTV News, Nov 13 2025; Paula Newton & Matthew Freidman, “‘We’re nice until we’re not’: How Trump’s tariffs threaten Wayne Gretzky’s hometown.” CNN, Apr 2 2025; James Jackson, “Goodbye to Gretzky.” Macleans, Mar 5 2025; Nicholas Frew & Sam Samson, “Why Gretzky’s legacy just became more complicated for some Edmontonians.” CBC News, Feb 23 2025; Darren Major, “Trump says Gretzky supports Canada remaining an independent country.” CBC News, Feb 26 2025.