Wayne Gretzky expressed support for Prime Minister Mark Carney's decision to bar Russia from participating in the upcoming world juniors in Alberta.
"Nobody likes war, right?" Gretzky said Friday, per The Canadian Press. "We definitely don't want to see this. We hope it ends. We wish it didn't start. I understand the stance the prime minister is taking, and good for him."
The NHL's all-time points leader added, "He's made that stance, and he's made it clear. I think a lot of the players and the people of Canada feel the same way."
Carney announced earlier this week that Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be permitted to represent their countries in Canada as long as the war in Ukraine persists. His announcement followed the Court of Arbitration for Sport's ruling that the International Ice Hockey Federation must reinstate Russian teams, who have been banned from international events since their country invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Prominent hockey nations including Sweden and Finland have announced they will boycott upcoming tournaments if Russia is permitted to play.
The world juniors are scheduled to begin Dec. 26 in Red Deer and Edmonton.
