Wayne Gretzky’s Wife Says Canadian Criticism Over Her Husband’s Ties With Donald Trump Have ‘Broken His Heart’

Janet Jones Gretzky, the wife of former professional hockey player Wayne Gretzky, said that criticism of her husband over his connection with Donald Trump has “broken his heart.”

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Janet made this claim about Gretzky in a since-deleted post on Instagram.

“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,” she stated in this post. “He would do anything to make Canadians Proud, with his Love for Hockey and his Country.”

Gretzky, who started his hockey career in 1979 for the Edmonton Oilers, has recently faced criticism in Canada over his association with Trump. The president has made political threats about tariffs and comments about Canada becoming America’s 51st state.

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These negative comments led Trump, along with Canadian hockey legend Bobby Orr and his wife, to defend his national pride. 

On Feb. 22, Orr wrote an op-ed for the Toronto Sun to convey his disappointment at Gretzky’s poor treatment during his appearance on behalf of Canada’s hockey team during the Four Nations Face-Off in Boston the week prior.

“For the life of me, I cannot understand why the ‘haters’ have decided to go after Wayne because he ‘didn’t wear a Canadian jersey’ during his introduction at the final match,” Orr wrote. “I, for one, thought that he looked very dignified while representing Canada with class and professionalism.”

“Remember, this is a man who wore the Maple Leaf on multiple occasions with pride,” he noted. “As both a player and administrator, he has brought nothing but glory to his homeland year after year, decade after decade.”

“How fickle can people be when someone who has given so much time and effort to Canadian hockey is treated in such a way,” he asked. “Listen, we all have our personal beliefs as they pertain to things such as religion and politics. Wayne respects your right to such beliefs – why can’t you respect his?”

“People have the right to express their opinions – I get it,” Orr stated. “But being someone who has been in the public arena I can tell you that before the bright lights, before the fame, we were all just people like you growing up in Canada.”

“Wayne is a guy from Brantford, Ont., who made good and has done nothing throughout his life but give aid and assistance to innumerable Canadians along the way,” he declared.

On Feb. 26, Trump shared a post on Truth Social in an effort to help defend Gretzky.

“Wayne Gretzky is a fantastic guy,” the president stated on the platform. “They call him ‘The Great One,’ and he is. He could run for any political office in Canada and win.”

“Wayne is my friend, and he wants to make me happy, and is therefore somewhat ‘low key’ about Canada remaining a separate Country, rather than becoming a cherished and beautiful 51st State, paying much Lower Taxes, a Free and Powerful Military, NO TARIFFS, and having a Booming Economy,” he added. “Wayne and Janet, his wonderful wife, love Canada, and they should only support Canada and whatever else makes the Canadian People and Governor Justin Trudeau happy.” 

“He’s the Greatest Canadian of them all, and I am therefore making him a ‘free agent’ because I don’t want anyone in Canada to say anything bad about him,” Trump revealed. “He supports Canada the way it is, as he should, even though it’s not nearly as good as it could be as part of the Greatest and Most Powerful Country in the World, the Good Ole’ U.S.A.!”

In June 2021, Gretzky announced on social media that he was stepping down as the Oilers’ Vice Chairman.