Wayne Gretzky Calls Himself a ‘True Canadian’ on CBC Ahead of Semifinal, Stirs Renewed Backlash

Wayne Gretzky told a CBC pre-game panel that he is a "true Canadian" and reiterated that he wants Canada's hockey team to win gold, comments made while wearing a Canadian flag pin ahead of the men's semifinal against Finland. The remarks reignited criticism stemming from his high-profile ties to U. S. figures and a controversial honorary role at a recent tournament.

Development details: Wayne Gretzky's comments at the CBC panel

Appearing on the CBC pre-game show ahead of Canada’s semifinal match with Finland, Gretzky was asked about perceptions of his loyalties and responded by urging viewers to "worry about the game" and focus on how Canada can reach the final. He then declared, "I'm a hockey player. I'm a Canadian, I'm a true Canadian. I want Canada to wear a gold medal. I've never wavered from that. " During the exchange, host James Duthie pressed the point about cross-border tensions; video and eyewitness description show Gretzky gripping the microphone with both hands and emitting a terse laugh as the line of questioning landed.

The appearance included visible symbolism: Gretzky wore a maple-leaf pin on his lapel while on air. The segment took place more than a year after a rupture in his public standing with many Canadians, and roughly 12 months after his introduction as Canada’s honorary captain at the 4 Nations Cup, an incident that many view as having intensified resentment toward him.

Context and escalation

What led to the current reaction is a chain of public moments that tied Gretzky to U. S. political figures and elevated questions about his allegiance. His friendship with former U. S. president Donald Trump became a flashpoint when Gretzky accepted the honorary captain role at last year’s 4 Nations Cup; that episode is cited as a turning point for many Canadians who felt betrayed. Flash‑forward 12 months and those hard feelings have not dissipated, turning a routine Olympic commentary appearance into a renewed controversy.

Gretzky framed Canada and the United States as "like brothers and sisters, " saying they will "fight and argue, but eventually you come together, " and described his stance as rooted in family‑style reconciliation. Critics pushed back strongly, using social media to object to his platform and to question the appropriateness of highlighting his views during Olympic coverage. Some commentators specifically objected to interrupting other Olympic events to air his remarks.

Immediate impact

The immediate consequence was a surge of public criticism and social-media commentary following the broadcast. Viewers posted strong reactions on the same day as the semifinal, with multiple messages condemning the network’s decision to feature him and calling his comments a deflection from political accountability. For athletes and viewers focused on the tournament, the exchange introduced a political overlay to a sporting moment that Gretzky himself urged should remain about the game.

Team Canada’s path in the tournament was the explicit on-ice concern referenced during the segment: Duthie’s questioning centered on whether blurred loyalties might distract from Canada’s bid to reach the final, and Gretzky repeatedly returned the conversation to the team’s objective of winning Olympic gold.

Forward outlook

The immediate calendar consequence is straightforward: the semifinal against Finland determined which team advanced to the final, making the outcome of that game the next concrete milestone referenced in the exchange. Public debate about Gretzky’s role as a national symbol is likely to continue in the short term given the persistence of strong opinions dating back more than a year and the renewed attention following his televised remarks.

What makes this notable is how a single, on‑air intervention—marked by a small, visible gesture like a flag pin and a declarative sentence about loyalty—can reopen a broad, year‑long controversy about identity and public alignment. The network aired the segment knowing the history attached to his honorary title at the 4 Nations Cup and his ties to U. S. political figures, and that history shaped the immediate fallout from the appearance.

Officials, broadcasters and viewers will now watch how both the team’s on-ice results and ongoing public reactions evolve in the days after the semifinal.