Wayne Gretzky made his stance clear ahead of the Olympic gold medal game at Milano Cortina 2026. Speaking on CBC, the Hall of Famer said he wants Canada to win gold, while mentioning that he has never wavered from supporting his home country.
Canada earned its place in the final with a 3-2 win over Finland in the semifinal. The team went unbeaten in Group A with wins over Czechia, Switzerland, and France. Canada also edged Czechia 4-3 in overtime in the quarterfinals.
“I’m a hockey player. I’m a Canadian, a true Canadian,” Gretzky said. “I want Canada 🇨🇦 to win a gold medal. I’ve never wavered from that.”
The United States stands one win away from setting up a North American final. Team USA beat Sweden 2-1 in overtime in the quarterfinals. A semifinal clash with Slovakia will decide who faces Canada on Sunday, Feb. 22.
Gretzky talked about the rivalry tension between Canada and the United States, saying it feels higher than usual.
“I’ve been friends with prime minsters and presidents. Somehow there’s been a little bit more tension than normal,” Gretzky said. “At the end of the day, Canada and the US are like brothers and sisters, they’re gonna fight and argue but eventually they’ll come together. That’s the way I see it.”
Wayne Gretzky’s Comment on Canada’s Women’s Hockey Team
Earlier After Canada’s Women’s loss to the USA in the 2026 Winter Olympics finals ice hockey tournament, Gretzky talked about the growth of the Women’s sport.
“One of the things I’m most proud of, and didn’t even come from me, but my dad was a big believer in women’s sports,” Gretzky said, praising the development. “And he had one of the very first women’s hockey tournaments in Brantford, Ontario, way back in the mid-80s.”
Gretzky’s voice still carries weight in the sport, even though he retired from the NHL in 1999. It is because to this day he remains the all-time leader in assists and points. Additionally, he has won four Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers and nine Hart Trophies.
Now a TV analyst and ambassador for the game, Gretzky stays close to hockey’s biggest stages. As Canada prepares for gold, he has confirmed that he backs the maple leaf.
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