“ Forget the past ”: fans on the criticism of the links of Wayne Gretzky with Donald Trump

Not long ago, some Canadians were in arms on the legend of hockey Wayne Gretzky Lie the administration of American president Donald Trump.

But like the Edmonton Oilers Skated their way through the Stanley Cup final, hockey fans say it’s time to leave the overhaps.

“I don’t think it counts,” said Craig Histock, a long -standing fan of the Oilers, while he posed on Wednesday for a photo with a statue of Gretzky outside Rogers placed in Edmonton before match 1.

“Let’s forget the past. What he did here was a lot for the city, a lot for hockey.”

The statue was vandalized in March and smeared with what seemed to be and strongly felt the excrement. On Wednesday, a high -height metal fence was in place around the bronze silhouette.

An online petition launched in February by calling for a new name for Wayne Gretzky Drive also has around 14,000 signatures.

Gretzky, the hockey star born in Ontario who led the Oilers to four victories of the Stanley Cup in the 1980s, recently attracted Canadians’ anger for his public support to Trump, who has repeatedly expressed his desire for Canada to join the United States and become his 51st state.

The Great was photographed several times with Trump at the President Mar-A-Lago station in Florida. In January, Gretzky and his wife, Janet, attended the inauguration of Trump in Washington.

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The frustrations grew up after it appeared as a honorary captain for Canada in the 4 nations final with the United States. Video sequences have shown him giving the American team a boost while heading for the ice.

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Wayne Gretzky draws a mixed reaction during the appearance of 4 final nations

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Gretzky also congratulated Dallas Stars players in their locker room last month, after progressing for the Western Conference final.

The oilers eliminated the stars in five games and now have a victory against the Florida Panthers in the Cup final. Match 2 is Friday evening.

Brian Foulken, who became a fan at the time of Gretzky and collects the goods of the Oilers, said that Gretzky’s achievements, including several score records that are held to date, always resonate with people.

As for the criticism, Foulken said that people will have their own opinions.

“In the end, (Gretzky) played here for a long time. The pure and hard oilers (fans), we love it,” he said outside the arena before match 1.

“He’s an incredible player.”

Foulken added that Captain of the current Connor McDavid Oilers is closer to Gretzky’s level size.

Darren Rogers, a fan of Gretzky since the creation of Oilers in the NHL in 1979, said that Gretzky’s leadership led the team to win several Stanley cups.

Aside from politics, this achievement should be more important to people in the big scheme of things, said Rogers.

Gretzky was in Edmonton for Wednesday’s match.

And as agitated as Gretzky is for the Oilers franchise, he always seemed to catch up with the fans of this new generation.

On an American sports network, he sat side by side with commentators because they discussed the new tradition of the Oilers to play the pop song “Pink Pony Club”.

The players were tightened on the importance of the Chappell Roan stroke, generally heard after the team played “La Bamba” of Los Lobos after a victory.

“Pink Pony-Is this a group or is it a song?” Gretzky, 64, asked the Co-Animator of TNT Sports, Paul Bissonnette, after the 4-3 victory of the oilers in oilers in match 1.

“(Roan) sings a song,” Pink Pony Club “, and it’s famous. It’s on the radio,” replied Bissonnette.

“This is the new generation, Wayne,” he added.

Gretzky seemed disappointed to learn that Roan is not Canadian, but always seemed impatient to discover the song.

“I have to get this (like) my ringtone,” said Gretzky.

& Copy 2025 the Canadian press