Sipu Jha
Once celebrated as Canada’s most beloved sports icon, Wayne Gretzky’s reputation took an unexpected hit in the mid-2020s — not because of his legendary NHL career, but because of his perceived silence during a politically charged moment between Canada and the United States.
From national hero to lightning rod for criticism
Gretzky, known worldwide as “The Great One,” had long been a symbol of Canadian pride, leading the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cups in the 1980s and carrying the maple leaf on the international stage. His emotional departure to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988 was mourned by fans, but it never tarnished his image at home.That changed when Gretzky was spotted at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago election night party wearing a “Make America Great Again” hat, and later attending Trump’s inauguration. The optics were jarring for many Canadians — especially as Trump ramped up rhetoric suggesting Canada should become the “51st state” and mocking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as merely the “governor” of Canada.Gretzky’s friendship with Trump wasn’t new — his son-in-law, golfer Dustin Johnson, was already close to the former U.S. president — but it was his refusal to publicly push back on Trump’s remarks that lit a firestorm. As Edmonton sportswriter Terry Jones put it, “If I’m right that [Gretzky] doesn’t think Canada should become the 51st state, he should step up and say it.”
Public reaction and lasting perception
The fallout was swift. A statue of Gretzky outside Edmonton’s Rogers Place was vandalized with excrement, an almost unthinkable act against a national treasure. Fans noticed when, during a Canada-USA hockey event, he appeared in a navy suit rather than the iconic red jersey worn by past honorary captains — a symbolic absence of visible patriotism.Other Canadian celebrities, like Mike Myers and Michael Bublé, openly defended Canada’s sovereignty during this period. Gretzky, however, remained silent.Also Read: Connor McDavid’s path to Wayne Gretzky’s points record: Can the Oilers captain make NHL history?Years later, the episode remains a cautionary tale about how silence from public figures during politically charged moments can speak louder than words — and how even “The Great One” is not immune to the shifting tides of public opinion.
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