President Donald Trump has teased Gretzky as the future 'governor' of Canada
Wayne Gretzky was introduced as the honorary captain of Team Canada on Thursday night ahead of the matchup against the U.S. in the 4 Nations Face-Off final.
Gretzky, arguably the greatest hockey player of all time, received some cheers as he stepped out onto the ice with Team USA’s pick, Mike Eruzione. Clearly, the Boston crowd was far more behind Eruzione than they were "The Great One."
Team USA forward Auston Matthews, #34, and former hockey player Mike Eruzione and former hockey player Wayne Gretzky and Team Canada forward Sidney Crosby, #87, during the 4 Nations Face-Off ice hockey championship game at TD Garden in Boston on Feb. 20, 2025. (Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images)
On social media, Gretzky’s appearance as Team Canada’s honorary captain drew some ire because of President Donald Trump’s musings about the United States’ northern neighbors becoming the 51st state in the union. The president has even gone as far as suggesting that Gretzky be the "governor" of Canada.
Hockey fans watching the game were far from amused.
Your honorary captains for tonight: Wayne Gretzky and Mike Eruzione! 🇨🇦🇺🇸 #4Nations
— NHL (@NHL) February 21, 2025
🇺🇸: @espn & @ESPNPlus ➡️ https://t.co/S5tPrXCygm
🇨🇦: @Sportsnet or stream on Sportsnet+ ➡️ https://t.co/4KjbdjVctF pic.twitter.com/Puoc5JJPSi
Just going to state this matter-of-factly … the honourary captain for Canada in this game publicly supports a political leader whose position is that Canada should not exist as a nation.
— Dave Naylor (@TSNDaveNaylor) February 21, 2025
I really believe that like everyone else, Wayne Gretzky is entitled to support whomever he wants. And while he's done a ton for Canadian hockey, making him the Honorary Captain for Team Canada for this game is just plain tone deaf.
— Ken Campbell (@Ken_Campbell27) February 21, 2025
It’s legitimately sad that you have to wonder where Wayne Gretzky stands on Canada becoming the 51st state.
— Michael Grange (@michaelgrange) February 21, 2025
Wayne Gretzky wasn’t even wearing a Team Canada jersey #CANvsUSA pic.twitter.com/69jCuOBzji
— Great White North 🍁🇨🇦 (@MadeInCanada_eh) February 21, 2025
Wait what - Donald Trump's friend Wayne Gretzky is Canada's honorary captain? pic.twitter.com/8un9NBvMwF
— Jeffrey Ferrier (@jtferrier) February 21, 2025
Wayne Gretzky as Canada's honorary captain is a lousy choice
— Thomas Juneau (@thomasjuneau) February 21, 2025
Gretzky was spotted at Trump’s inauguration last month. Trump touted the hockey legend on Christmas Day, suggesting Canadians draft him to become the next prime minister.
TRUMP GIVES TEAM USA PEP TALK BEFORE 4 NATIONS FINAL VS CANADA
Canadian retired professional hockey player Wayne Gretzky arrives for the inauguration ceremony before President Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C., on January 20, 2025. (Saul Loeb-Pool via Imagn Images)
As Trump teased Canadian lawmakers, he said he asked Gretzky to become the "governor of Canada."
"I was with Wayne Gretzky. I said, 'Wayne, would you like to be the governor of Canada?’ I can't imagine anybody doing better than Wayne," Trump said at a Mar-a-Lago press conference earlier this month.
"Wayne was not too interested. But he probably would have liked statehood," Trump added. "He's a friend of mine. He's a great guy. He's the great one. We call him the great one, right? He's a great hockey player."
Gretzky did not appear to be swayed one way or the other.
Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky laughs as he wears his new Hockey Hall of Fame ring during his induction ceremony in Toronto on Nov. 22, 1999. (AP Photo/Frank Gunn, File)
The Hockey Hall of Famer was spotted at Trump’s election victory party in November.
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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.
