Gretzky backs Carney’s Russian world junior ban

TORONTO – Wayne Gretzky says he backs Canada’s decision to bar Russia from the upcoming world junior hockey championship in Alberta.

Prime Minister Mark Carney announced earlier this week Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be permitted to represent their countries on Canadian soil while the war in Ukraine continues.

The decision came after the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland ruled Russia must be reinstated to international hockey competition, starting with the world juniors.

Teams from Russia and Belarus have been banned since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

Speaking at a Friday ceremony hosted by Upper Deck to rename the Hockey Hall of Fame’s resource centre in honour of his late father, Gretzky said he supports Carney’s position.

“Nobody likes war, right?” said the NHL’s all-time points leader, who has Ukrainian heritage. “We definitely don’t want to see this. We hope it ends. We wish it didn’t start. And I understand the stance the prime minister is taking, and good for him. He’s made that stance and he’s made it clear.

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“I think a lot of the players and the people of Canada feel the same way.”

The world juniors are scheduled to run from Dec. 26 through Jan. 5 in Edmonton and Red Deer.

“While Russia and Belorussia (sic) are supporting this illegal, unjustified, horrific war in Ukraine, as long as that’s going on, there will be none of those athletes competing for their countries in Canada,” Carney told reporters Tuesday in Antigua at the Commonwealth Summit when asked if Russian players would be denied visas.

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“So if you’re asking specifically about the world juniors, the Russians will not be there.”

The federal government said this week it would use its immigration powers to prevent Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials from entering Canada to compete under their national symbols.

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“This measure is not directed at the Russian and Belarusian people,” the government said in a statement. “Rather, it is intended to prevent the governments of Russia and Belarus from using international sporting events hosted in Canada as platforms for state representation, political legitimacy and propaganda.”

Entry would be assessed individually, the government added, while athletes competing as neutrals could still participate in international sporting events hosted by Canada.

Russian sports minister Mikhail Degtyarev said in an Oct. 30 statement that the CAS ruling was final.

He added his country would work with the International Ice Hockey Federation to secure its return to competition, starting with the world juniors.

A number of European hockey federations, meanwhile, including Sweden, Finland, Czechia and Latvia, have said their teams will not play against Russia.

Gretzky and Upper Deck — a trading card and memorabilia company — also announced a series of partnerships Friday.

The 65-year-old was asked what he thinks those might do to help his reputation among Canadians, which has taken a hit in recent years because of his close association with U.S. President Donald Trump.

“I can’t do anything about that,” Gretzky said with a laugh. “Your friends are your friends, right? People can have their own opinions. That’s what life is all about, and you just take it with a grain of salt. People are entitled to what they believe in and what their opinions are … as simple as that.

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“My dad always told me, ‘You treat people how they treat you.’ And that’s how I live life.”

The only NHL player to ever reach 200 points in a season — he did it four times — Gretzky was also asked about the start to the current season by Connor McDavid.

The Edmonton Oilers captain has 44 points in 17 games, and is on pace to reach 217 in 2026-27. That would top Gretzky’s record of 215 points set in 1985-86.

“Remarkable,” said Gretzky, who won the Stanley Cup four times as Oilers captain. “What he’s doing for his hockey team, and for the game, and for the city of Edmonton, it’s unmatched right now. I think he’s on a mission to win a Stanley Cup. He wants it desperately, and that’s what you need out of your best player and out of your captain.

“You need that leadership that, you want to get to the next level, and he has that.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 6, 2026.