Grant Prete, an 31-year-old Edmonton resident and hockey fan, says it’s Gretzky’s previous actions that led him to question the so-called Great One – but Trump’s threats toward Canada and the former hockey star’s continued affiliation with the president were the final straw.
But that strain reached a full-on breaking point on Thursday night when Gretzky gave an eager thumbs-up to the US players and wore no Canadian colors to the final game between the two countries at the inaugural tournament, where Gretzky was the honorary team captain for Canada.
Canada hockey legend Wayne Gretzky was already facing a strained relationship with the Canadian public when he emerged from the tunnel at last week’s 4 Nations Face-Off final against the United States in Boston.
Gretzky, who for decades has been propped up as a symbolic embodiment of Canadian identity, might have torpedoed his once-bulletproof image by fraternizing with Trump at the worst time imaginable, several analysts tell the Guardian.
Canada’s sudden-death overtime win in the final on Thursday, which became symbolic of the geopolitical figh, led to huge celebrations in cities and towns across the country in a way that was previously unexpected when the tournament was planned, says McKee.
