Missing on a Shot You Shouldn't Have Taken

Until President Trump and Vice President Vance ganged up on Ukrainian President Zelenskyy last Friday, it seemed like Trump's relationship with Wayne Gretzky was the big story of the week in Canada.

I still can't understand why the NHL put Gretzky in the position he finds himself in, or why Gretzky went along with it.

Psychic

It was sometime in the mid-1980’s. I was in radio and was hosting a daily talk show in Edmonton. The Oilers were Stanley Cup champs and I wanted Wayne Gretzky on my show. His game and practice schedule made that difficult, so I arranged to do an-in person recorded interview at Northlands Coliseum.

Gretzky had a minor injury and wasn’t practicing on the morning of the interview, so as the rest of the team practiced, Gretzky and I found a spot in the corner of the Oilers dressing room to sit down for the interview.

Gretzky was welcoming and gracious even though we had never met. As I got my big cassette recorder set up for the interview Gretzky said to me “That psychic you have on your show. How does he do that? Is that for real?”

I knew who he was talking about. I used to have the odd guest like a psychic on because the phone lines lit up like Christmas trees. As I replied that I didn’t do anything to help the psychic and it seemed like the real deal to me, I realized Gretzky actually listened to my show and asked him about it. He replied “Yeah I listen to it once in awhile. I’m usually leaving here around that time.”

I was really surprised. I rarely thought about who was listening. I just knew what the numbers said.

Little did I realize that 40-years later I would be writing about Gretzky for a very different reason.

That Was Awkward

When Gretzky walked onto the ice as the Honourary Captain of Team Canada for the final game of the 4 Nations Face-off in Boston, I was surprised. Right away the following thoughts raced through my mind – What? Whoa. Why would they ask him to do this? This is awkward. This won’t go over well.

Although I instinctively knew it would be controversial, I didn’t think having him serve in that role would be taken as negatively as it has over the past 10-days. President Trump talked for weeks about Canada becoming the 51^st state and “Governor Trudeau,” but I didn’t see it blowing up like this.

Some people want Gretzky’s statue removed from in front of Rogers Place in Edmonton and want his name taken off the roadway named after him that was once named Capilano Drive. Full disclosure here, I still call it Capilano Drive, but that’s beside the point.

All this of course because Gretzky has shown his total support for Trump, despite the way half of Americans think about him and the majority of Canadians do. Gretzky has supported him, partied with him and attended the January inauguration and his wife Janet.

I wondered why NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman signed off on Gretzky being Honourary Captain? Bettman’s fingerprints were all over the 4 Nations. He had to know having Gretzky out there would be a controversial decision. Did he give it a green light as a thumbs up to Trump, or as a middle finger to hockey fans who have a problem with it?

Why did Gretzky accept? He’s a smart guy and has smart people around him. Perhaps he did it to make a statement. His silence on Trump’s plan to annex Canada has been telling.

Puck Support for 99

We’ll likely never have answers to these questions, but we have seen some totally bizarre reactions.

To start with, NHL legend Bobby Orr defended Gretzky. That only made the situation worse because Orr also supported Trump and has fallen out of favour with Canadians for it. Why would we care what he thinks about the issue? Trump is his guy too.

To make matters worse Janet Gretzky chimed in, and said Wayne was heartbroken over this.

Trump himself went on social media to try to defend 99. He tried to put some distance between himself and Gretzky. Called him a “free agent.” That wasn’t helpful either.

How do any of these people think what they’re doing will make the situation for Gretzky better?

Gretzky needs to publicly state in totally clear terms that he opposes Trump’s comments about Canada and wants no part of them.

Gretzky and his wife have a right to support Trump. I’m not questioning that. Gretzky’s problem is the situation totally changed when Trump started going after Canada. Once that happened, things got even more polarized and if you were in favour of Trump you were against Canada. It was black and white.

They’re not going to take down his statue or change the name of Gretzky Drive, nor should they in my opinion. Gretzky simply remains in a dicey position that he never should have put himself in. Walking out on the ice that night in Boston was a move that defied anyone who understands the importance of optics, especially in these bizarre times. He should have taken a pass.

The NHL could have invited Bruin legends Ray Bourque or Patrice Bergeron to do the honours. If that would have happened very few of us would be talking about Gretzky today.

Maybe Gretzky should have called my show back in the 80’s? Perhaps the psychic would have told him to avoid public appearances during political controversies?