In the summer of 1988, when I was just 14 years old, my family took a camping trip not far from Toronto. Emerging from the woods, I spotted a newspaper box by the roadside. Through its cracked glass, I saw a front-page image of Wayne Gretzky, tears streaming down his face. He had been traded from the Edmonton Oilers to the Los Angeles Kings, and much like my idol, I found myself in tears.
Back then, Gretzky was more than just a hockey player to Canadians; he was homegrown royalty. His unparalleled skill and unique talent transcended the game, becoming a defining part of our national identity. Although I wasn’t a true hockey kid, I owned Gretzky’s signature Titan stick, which was white with red lettering, and had a pennant on my bedroom wall commemorating his astounding 1981–82 season, where he scored 92 goals and made 120 assists for a total of 212 points—an all-time record. He surpassed that assists mark five times and set his own points record with 215 in the 1985–86 season. No other player has managed to break the 200-point barrier in a season; Gretzky did it four times, each time contributing to his four Stanley Cup victories. He retired in 1999 holding 61 records, including the record for the most records, and he still boasts more assists than anyone else has points. He transformed hockey statistics, and in doing so, reshaped our perception of national pride.
Today, Gretzky officially relinquished one of his most cherished records—the most goals scored in an NHL career—to Alex Ovechkin, a 39-year-old Russian forward playing for the Washington Capitals. Ovechkin netted his 895th goal, surpassing Gretzky’s previous record of 894, during the second period against the Islanders in New York. In a moment of pure joy, he bellyflopped onto the ice, overwhelmed with emotion, before being swarmed by his teammates as the game paused to honor the greatest goal scorer in hockey history.
At 64 years old, Gretzky was present to witness this historic moment, much like Gordie Howe had supported Gretzky in his quest to break the career-goals record. For over a century, Canadians have taken turns surpassing one another in hockey, starting with Joe Malone and passing through legends like Howie Morenz and Maurice Richard, until Ovechkin claimed the crown, which Spencer Carbery, the Canadian-born coach of the Capitals, deemed “the greatest record in our sport.”
When Gretzky was traded to the Kings, it was perceived as a mid-level national tragedy. “The biggest name in Canadian sports, the man hockey fans call the Great One, is going to the United States,” CBC anchor Knowlton Nash announced with a gravity typically reserved for significant national events.
Not long ago, Canadians might have felt deep sorrow at the loss of Gretzky’s record. Today, however, the reaction is somewhat mixed. Some Canadians, including newer waves of Ukrainian refugees, may feel uneasy about the record now belonging to Ovechkin, a vocal supporter of Vladimir Putin. Yet for many, the record had already slipped away—if not in 1988, then certainly by 2025, when Donald Trump regained the presidency, and Gretzky was seen cheering him on.
Trump’s comments about Canada being the “51st state” and “Governor Justin Trudeau” angered many Canadians, not to mention his trade wars and desire to annex Canada. As a result, anthem singers at hockey games began to receive backlash. Gretzky, who has spent more time at Mar-a-Lago than in Canada in recent years, seemed to remain silent on these issues. When Canada faced the U.S. in the final of the 4 Nations Face-Off in February, Gretzky was named our honorary captain but appeared hesitant to embrace the role, lacking even a maple-leaf pin on his jacket lapel. After Canada won in overtime—a moment of pure exhilaration for me—Gretzky handed the players red caps inscribed with Be Great, a phrase reminiscent of Trump that could either be seen as intentional or tone-deaf. The previous night, he sat alongside Kash Patel, Trump’s former FBI director, while watching Ovechkin’s historic chase.
By that time, many Canadians had already begun referring to Gretzky as the “Great Once.” Someone even defaced his statue outside Edmonton’s Rogers Place; petitions emerged to rename the city’s Wayne Gretzky Drive and a parkway and arena in his hometown of Brantford, Ontario. His American wife, Janet Gretzky, came to his defense on Instagram, stating: “I have never met anyone who is more proud to be a Canadian, and it has broken his heart to read and see the mean comments,” though she later deleted the post after facing disagreement from other Canadians.
Back in 1988, many of us blamed her for Gretzky’s departure. They had married shortly before the trade, just a few months after her appearance in Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach. We assumed Los Angeles must have been her idea, reflecting a misogynistic trope that persisted even as it became clear that Gretzky’s move was self-imposed. We erected statues in his honor and named roads and arenas after him regardless. He moved to St. Louis, then to New York, and later to Phoenix, yet somehow remained a figure we felt ownership over. In 2009, we honored him with the title of Companion of the Order of Canada, our highest civilian award, ignoring the fact that he didn’t return to accept his medal.
Now, it’s time to confront some hard truths. Gretzky has resided in the U.S. longer than he ever did in Canada, living in an American mansion with an American wife and American children, often seen on American golf courses with a president who believes Canada “only works as a state.” It may wound Gretzky to hear this, but many Canadians no longer view him as one of their own. Once, we wept over where he played hockey. His face could have adorned our currency, and his name should have been on our hockey sticks. However, his choices have made it clear where he stands, and consequently, we have made ours. Wayne Gretzky’s records, along with his flaws, remain unmatched. The loss is his alone.
