AS I SEE IT COLUMN: Gretzky’s MAGA madness worsens

In a classy move, last Friday Wayne Gretzky was in attendance as Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals were in Chicago. Ovie was three goals away from breaking the once untouchable record of 894 career goals. Just like Gordie Howe was in the rink in 1994 when Gretzky broke Howe’s all-time goal scoring record, Gretzky wanted to respect the history of the game and be in attendance when Ovechkin had a chance to break the record.

On such an historic night, who would Gretzky be sitting beside? Would it be former teammates Jarri Kurri, Mark Messier or Paul Coffey, who assisted on several hundred of Gretzky’s goals? Would he bring Howe’s son or grandson to make a classy show of the record’s continuity? Given his penchant for conservative politics, would he bring Trump wanna-be Pierre Poilievre?

Nope, Wayne sat next to Kash Patel, the new head of the FBI and likely the most unsavoury member of felon Trump’s cabinet (which is saying a lot). He is an avowed believer in an ultra right-wing extremist conspiracy group called QAnon. How extreme? They believe that Democrats are pedophiles who drink the blood of young children. (Yes, you read that correctly. It is one of their core beliefs.)

Gretkzy has come under withering criticism in Canada for his unabashed friendship with felon Trump, for not wearing a Maple Leaf uniform when he was the honorary captain of Team Canada at the 4 Nations Cup, but mostly for staying completely silent while his convicted criminal buddy Trump disrespects Canada’s Prime Minister by calling him “governor” and threatening to eradicate Canada as a sovereign nation.

So when Gretkzy was seen smiling and socializing with Patel at the Capitals game, thousands of Canadians took to social media to express their utter disgust for the latest example of seeing Wayne go head first down the MAGA rabbit hole.

“The Great Once.” “Wayne Regretzky.” “A Russian in Washington breaking a Canadian’s record feels very poignant.” Ouch.

The level of fury and disgust directed at Gretzky in the comments sections of newspapers and podcasts and social media posts across Canada is beyond astonishing. It’s clear millions of Canadians who once idolized Gretzky are now fully repulsed by him.

Ovechkin has also been criticized for never condemning Putin’s immoral invasion of Ukraine and being friends with someone accused of war crimes.

Gretzky is beyond lucky Ovechkin’s historic games weren’t played in a Canadian rink. The sight of the one who is no longer great getting booed mercilessly in the country he has completely turned his back on would have been epically humiliating.

As a proud Russian, Ovechkin has the right to be friends with Putin. (One would think that as a father of young kids and knowing that Putin’s regime has kidnapped 19,546 children in his illegal invasion of Ukraine, that Ovechkin might rethink his support of a war criminal, but that clearly doesn’t bother Ovechkin in the slightest.)

As a proud American, Gretzky has the right to be friends with Trump. (One would think that Wayne might stand up for Canada or not want to associate with someone who wants to make Canada – the country that made Gretzky what he is today – America’s 51st state but, seeing Wayne party with Patel removes any doubt that Gretzky has gone fully MAGA.)

Maybe the most cutting comment on social media came from American sports commentator Keith Olbermann.

“Good evening and welcome to the end of Wayne Gretzky’s career. He’s at the Ovechkin game tonight…If there was one moment when Gretzky’s path to self-destruction became unalterable, it was tonight.”

There is no denying where Gretzky’s heart is at. The cliché “You are the company you keep” is a cliché for a reason; because it’s true.

As is his right, Gretzky has made the conscious decision to party with Trump on election night, be photographed wearing a MAGA hat, embarrass himself and our country at the 4 Nations Cup and to be completely silent when given the chance to stand up for Canada.

And now this; yucking it up with a guy who sucks up to a boss that wants to wipe Canada off the map.

Good riddance Great Once.

Buy Canada. Bye America.