Already confronted with criticism of his ties with President Donald Trump, Wayne Gretzky was again seen alongside the director of the FBI, Kash Patel, while the Washington capital star Alex Ovechkin scored another historic goal on Long Island on Sunday.
This time, it was 895 Ovechkin’s career score, which beat the brand of all Gretzky on Sunday afternoon against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena.
And as was the case when the Russian icon equaled Gretzky at 894 Thursday in Washington, Gretzky took action with his wife, Janet, and one of Trump’s main initiates on the Patel.
“Was it Kash Patel next to Gretzky?” A fan asked X, echoing a question asked by countless others on both sides of the American Canadian border.
Another joked: “Kash Patel was adopted by the Gretzky?”
“Gretzky to have Kash Patel or his guest for the last two games is the lowest of the notches,” added a sports fan from the Philadelphia region.
(Left) Kash Patel, Janet Jones Gretzky, Wayne Gretzky and Gary Bettman in UBS Arena
Thursday Patel watched Ovechkin with Gretzky and Bettman at Capital Onena at DC
The popular account @wutangkids has also been unhappy to see a patel in the VIP box: ‘So Kash Patel is lying with Gretzky who will now watch Ovechkin break the goal record on Long Island SMH.’ ‘
But no one is more angry with Gretzky’s ties with Trump’s inner circle than native Canadians.
“Above surely, Gretzky first shakes the hand of his good friend Kash Patel,” wrote a critic on X. “Gretz” is a traitor in Canada.
“Gretzky with his good friend Kash Patel – who wants to make Canada the 51st state,” they added. “Canada should revoke Gretzky citizenship.”
Trump has repeatedly declared his desire to make the 51st America of Canada and has since doubled the animosity between the two countries by adding prices to Canadian goods.
Last month, a famous Gretzky statue in Edmonton was coated with excrement.
Gretzky was already criticized throughout his native Canada for his links with Trump after attending post-electoral evenings at the President’s Club of Palm Beach, Florida, as well as inauguration in Washington.
But, in the middle of the trade war of the two countries, it is the presence of Gretzky as a honorary captain of Team Canada during the recent 4 NHL Nations Championship that really made some of his compatriots boom.
Gretzky remained silent on Trump’s prices against the United States, because the president has often declared his desire to make Canada the “51st state” and to name Gretzky the “governor”
Wayne Gretzky and his wife Janet Jones arrive for the presidential inauguration of Donald Trump at the rotunda of the American Capitol in Washington on January 20
Many have criticized Gretzky for omitting to wear team colors during the Canada victory in overtime against the United States team in Boston. Others, on the other hand, focused on Gretzky’s ties with Trump, who insisted that Canada renounces its sovereignty and joined America as a 51st state.
“It is enough to say this problem with a fact,” wrote Canada -based TSN journalist Dave Naylor, on X, “the honorary captain for Canada in this game publicly supports a political leader whose position is that Canada should not exist as a nation.”
But he obtained the support of another Hockey Hall of Famer in Boston Bruins Great Bobby Orr.
In an opinion play for the Toronto Sun, the native of Ontario defended Gretzky, who won several major international competitions as Captain of Team Canada during his play days.
“For the life of me, I do not understand why the” hateful “decided to continue Wayne because he” did not wear a Canadian jersey “during his introduction during the final match,” wrote Orr. “For my part, I thought it looked very worthy while representing Canada with class and professionalism.
“Do not forget, it is a man who wore the maple sheet several times with pride,” continued Orr. “As a player and administrator, he only brought glory to his homeland year after year, decade after decade.”
Curiously, the orr column makes no mention of Trump directly.
However, he works to remind Canadians that Gretzky is one of them.
“Wayne is a guy from Brantford, Ontario, who has done good and did nothing throughout her life, but helps countless Canadians along the way,” concluded Orr.
“Please take an outing time. Extend a little grace, and a little respect for a good man and a great Canadian.
While the honorary captain of Team Usa Mike Eruzione (near the left) brought a jersey replica in the final of the 4 Nations on Thursday, the honorary captain of Canada Wayne Gretzky (near right) did not do
This is not the first time that Canada has been at war with itself on Gretzky. The trade that sent him from Edmonton to Los Angeles continues to haunt the country, even after the Oilers won the Stanley 1990 Cup without him.
Then there was Gretzky’s support for George W. Bush’s “war against terrorism” at the time in 2003. With the country, the country divided the invasion of Iraq America, criticisms hung a sign by reading “U $ Lackey” around a statue of Gretzky in Edmonton.
Gretzky attended Trump’s electoral victory evening in Mar-A-Lago, where the two golf aficionados and their families were seen to celebrate together.
Janet Jones, the longtime wife of Gretzky, shared a photo of her husband with Trump on social networks, who seemed angry the liberal hockey fans last month.
“You really have to question the ethics and logic of someone who support someone like Trump,” said a user.
“Apparently, there is an opposite relationship between hockey skills and intelligence,” added another.
One said: “Little on earth more embarrassing than the Cinglos of Maga Canadians”.
A famous statue of Wayne Gretzky outside the Rogers Center was coated with excrement
But while Gretzky was criticized by Canadian hockey fans, he was adopted by Trump, who suggested that the top scorer of all NHL time should introduce himself to the Prime Minister.
“I have a lot of great friends,” Trump, 78, told a crowd of Mar-A-Lago in January. “One of them is the” big “.
“He said,” Well, I’m going to introduce myself to the Prime Minister or the Governor? ” You tell me ” ‘continued Trump.
“I said,” I don’t know, let’s do it governor. I better like that. ”
Famous concerned about the American trade deficit with Canada, Trump previously suggested that the 10 provinces and three territories in the country should become the 51st state. He even tweeted about Christmas Day, offering Gretzky as a potential “governor of Canada”.
“You would easily win, you would not have to campaign,” wrote Trump in his social article Truth.
Unfortunately, Gretzky did not seem eager to become the Prime Minister or Governor of Canada, according to Trump.
“He had no interest, but I think that the people of Canada should start a Wayne Gretzky movement project,” added Trump. “It would be so fun to watch!”