Wayne Gretzky Deflects Political Questions, Keeps Focus on Canada’s Olympic Final in Milan

Wayne Gretzky, in Milan for the Olympic hockey final with his three sons, was pressed about strained relations with Canada and chose to steer the conversation back to sport. The intervention matters now because Canada is headed to a highly anticipated gold-medal match against the United States and public attention has sharpened around his public standing.

Wayne Gretzky on the CBC panel

More than a year after relations between Gretzky and many Canadian fans deteriorated, he addressed the issue on a CBC panel ahead of the Canada–Finland semi-final. Host James Duthie framed the moment by describing an "unsettling year for Canadians" and telling Gretzky, "You have been pulled into this. " When he realized the line of questioning, Gretzky gripped the microphone with both hands and let out a strained "Ha ha ha, " a reaction observers described as far from amused.

When Duthie asked, "What would be your message to Canadians today?" Gretzky's reply was terse and focused on the ice: "Very simple. First of all, let's worry about the game. That's most important. " He added, "I want Canada to win a gold medal. I've never wavered from that. " He closed with a conciliatory image—"Canada and the USA are like brothers and sisters. They're going to fight and argue, but eventually you come together, right?"—a framing he used to characterize the dispute as family squabbles.

Signing a 1998 Nagano photograph in the Milan arena

At the same venue, Gretzky paused when he spotted a photograph of himself from the 1998 Nagano Olympics and left a message on the wall. He is in Milan as a fan, not attached to a broadcaster or corporation, and has said he is having a "great time" with "my 3 boys. " The decision to travel solely with family underlined his role at these Games as a parent and supporter rather than a media figure.

Quarterfinal, semifinal and the growing nerves

Canada reached the final after surviving an overtime quarterfinal and then beating Finland with a last-minute goal in the semifinal on Friday. That sequence of results helped set up an anticipated Canada–U. S. final that many expect could go either way. Observers noted visible anxiety in the stands: Mark Messier and Gretzky watched the semifinal together, and a friend said, "Wayne was so nervous he couldn't sit any more and had to walk around. " The buzz around the match has built toward what officials and fans expect to be a massively watched Sunday morning game.

Gretzky’s Olympic record and public reaction

Gretzky's Olympic history was part of the backdrop: he fell short as a player at the 1998 Games but managed the 2002 team that won gold in Salt Lake City. That history informs how his presence is read now. Commentators have suggested his remarks were a classic deflection from deeper political friction — one columnist wrote that Gretzky "has always been a wonderful deflector of the puck" — and that his public posture has left many Canadians feeling their questions about his loyalty unanswered.

What makes this notable is the tension between his stated intent and public perception: his insistence that he wants Canada to win gold and his personal attendance with family contrast with lingering criticism that he very deliberately altered his relationship with the country more than a year earlier. Critics point out that he did not have to accept a role as a national representative and could have stepped away quietly—"moved to Arizona, and never made a big deal about visiting home, " the commentary observed—yet his choices have invited scrutiny.

Looking ahead to the Canada–U. S. final

With the red-and-white set for what many expect to be an Olympic classic, Gretzky says he will be cheering for Canada. The matchup against the United States has drawn intense focus, and the framing of the contest as a family feud has become part of the narrative: one columnist even invoked celebrity associations such as Tom Brady to underline how transnational figures complicate questions of national identity. For now, Gretzky has emphasized the immediate cause—an Olympic final—and its effect: a determination to place the outcome of the game above political argument.

As the gold-medal game approaches, Gretzky remains in Milan with his sons, publicly rooting for Canada while deflecting broader disputes back to the rink and the results on the scoreboard.