- Wayne Gretzky said “good for him” about Mark Carney’s Russia ban
- He spoke at an Upper Deck event in Toronto honoring his late father Walter
- Read below for his comments on Trump and the World Juniors in Alberta
Wayne Gretzky is on board with Canada’s Russia ban.
The Great One was asked Friday about Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to keep Russian and Belarusian athletes out of the country, including this winter’s World Juniors in Alberta. His answer was short. Gretzky said he understands the stance Carney has taken and added “good for him.”
He also said Carney has made his position clear, and that he believes a lot of the players and people of Canada feel the same way. Gretzky pointed out that nobody likes war and said he hopes this one ends.
The comments came at a media event in Toronto, where Upper Deck named Gretzky its second Legacy Partner, joining Michael Jordan. Check out the company’s announcement:
The same ceremony renamed the Hockey Hall of Fame’s resource centre the Walter Gretzky Upper Deck Hockey Resource Centre, honoring his late father. A small exhibit of Gretzky family artifacts is on display in the Hall’s foyer through Nov. 22. Here’s the unveiling:
Carney’s announcement came days after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled the IIHF did not prove its case for banning Russia, which opened the door for Russian teams to return starting with the World Juniors. Finland, Sweden, Norway and Czechia have all said they will not play Russia if it returns.
Gretzky has Ukrainian roots through his paternal grandmother, and he has been on the record on this before. Back in 2022, after the invasion, he said Russia should be barred from the World Juniors.
He was also asked about his friendship with Donald Trump. Gretzky said friends are friends, people are entitled to their own opinions, and his dad always taught him to treat people how they treat you.
The tournament runs Dec. 26 through Jan. 5 in Edmonton and Red Deer.
