Even over a quarter century after his last NHL game, few people in the sporting world can draw eyeballs quite like Wayne Gretzky.
Prior to the 4 Nations Face-Off championship game last night in Boston, Gretzky joined Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby, American captain Auston Matthews, and 1980 Olympic gold medallist Mike Eruzione for the ceremonial puck drop.
Gretzky was named the honorary captain on the evening for Team Canada, but it wasn’t without a few eyebrows being raised. He entered the ice from the American bench, gave a thumbs up to the American players, and appeared to not even acknowledge Canada nor wear any gear for the team.
Gretzky:
Enters through US bench
Gives thumbs up to US players
Wears no red or NOTHING repping Canada
Doesn’t even look Team Canada’s way
He’s a traitor & MAGA coward
Good riddance. #4nations pic.twitter.com/1YqguI3yqF
— Alex 🇨🇦 (@alex_upnorth) February 21, 2025
Gretzky hasn’t exactly kept his political thoughts hidden over the last few months. In November, he was at Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago resort in Florida on election night. In December, Trump himself suggested Gretzky should run for prime minister, while Gretzky attended the president’s inauguration in Washington.
I really believe that like everyone else, Wayne Gretzky is entitled to support whomever he wants. And while he’s done a ton for Canadian hockey, making him the Honorary Captain for Team Canada for this game is just plain tone deaf.
— Ken Campbell (@Ken_Campbell27) February 21, 2025
Meanwhile, Trump also called Team USA before the game to wish them well.
Martin Short is an Officer of the Order of Canada. He wore his pin on the #SNL50 show. 🇨🇦
Wayne Gretzky is a Companion of the Order of Canada. One of only 136. He didn’t wear his pin at the #4nations final. 🤔 pic.twitter.com/FhbI3RaWvl
— Tom Harrington (@cbctom) February 21, 2025
Given that political tension between the two countries has heated up since Trump’s re-election, claims of making Canada the 51st state, and a back-and-forth economic battle over proposed tariffs, Gretzky wasn’t exactly the most popular choice to represent Canada given his close Trump ties.
Gretzky, who served as a member of Hockey Canada’s executive team in the 2002, 2006, and 2010 Olympics, while also playing for the team at the 1998 Olympics, four Canada Cups and the 1996 World Cup is a dual citizen of both countries.
It is a huge insult to Team Canada, to our country and our people to have Wayne Gretzky come out to represent us. He never approached the Canadian bench, only the US, he wore nothing to indicate he was Canadian at all; it is a disgrace. Well the US can have him. #4Nations ❤️🇨🇦
— Sandi J Campbell (@SandiJCampbell) February 21, 2025
Though he was born in Brantford, Ont., he’s mostly taken up American residences since being traded to the Los Angeles Kings in an infamous 1988 trade.
It really is amazing that someone thought it was a good idea for Wayne Gretzky – Donald Trump’s great friend and his choice to become Governor of the 51st State of Canada – to be the honourary captain of Team Canada for 4 Nations Face-Off final. #4nations pic.twitter.com/lgANWz8ght
— Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) February 21, 2025
But it appears his support for Canada was a bit more behind the scenes.
In photos that came out following the locker room celebrations, Gretzky offered Team Canada a set of red hats with a message that says “Be Great” on them above a maple leaf.
Wayne Gretzky bought hats for all of team Canada, which were given to the players after the game.
The hats had one simple message on them: “Be Great” 🔥 (📸 via @NHL) pic.twitter.com/lotfskcoHi
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) February 21, 2025
It’s not quite clear if the “Great” reference on the red hat is in any way related to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” tagline, or just a riff off of Gretzky’s “The Great One” nickname.
In any case, we can bet that whatever hats the Americans wore in their dressing room probably had fewer beer stains.
