Gretzky Has Method Behind the Mad Rant

W E S T   V A L L E Y   C I T Y, Utah, Feb. 19, 2002 -- "American propaganda."

That's what Team Canada executive director Wayne Gretzky called the media reports of unrest among his Team Canada troops at a surprisingly animated press conference Monday evening after the Canadians 3-3 come-from-behind tie with the Czech Republic at the E Center.

Gretzky, though, did fail to mention the one simple fact about those reports: almost all of them have come through the Canadian media, which follows its hockey team like a wild animal seeking its prey. (Hey, not that's there's anything wrong with that.)

"Everybody loves to see us lose," said Gretzky, who has lived in the United States since a trade from Edmonton to Los Angeles in 1988. "It's a big story. They have the Canadian skaters and the hockey team.

"Nobody wants us to win but our players and our loyal fans," Gretzky added.

Gretzky — if you believe he was really ticked and not just grandstanding to unify his struggling team and his hockey-crazy country heading into the elimination round — was particularly upset at an incident that happened in the final minutes of the game.

The play in question started with a scrum around the net. Canada's Theo Fleury got tied up with Czech goalie Dominik Hasek. Both men fell to the ice. With his usual savvy, Fleury made it difficult for Hasek to get up as the play moved to the corner. In an attempt to separate Fleury from Hasek, one of the Czech defenders jabbed at Fleury while he was still down on the ice. Fleury, still on the ice, poked back at the Czech player.

As the play continued, Fleury regained his feet. In the frenzy of the moment, Czech defenseman Roman Hamrlik crushed Fleury from behind with a vicious cross-check sending the little winger face-first to the ice.

The whistle blew, but NHL/Olympic referee Bill McCreary made no call on Hamrlik. That, of course, is not really a surprise to those of us who watch many NHL games. Seemingly, at least once a NHL game, a player is cross-checked or slashed without receiving a penalty. Usually, this happens — as it did on this occasion — in the final minutes of a close hockey game.

A Brutal Part of the Game

To prove just how commonplace this type of play has become, Fleury himself just shrugged his shoulders when asked about the play.

"I'm fine," he said. "It's part of the game."

An unfortunate part, we admit.

Still, the Great One was so incensed — or so we're supposed to believe — he called for Hamrlik to be banned for further competition.

"If one of our players did that, it would be a big story," Gretzky said. "He (Hamrlik) should be suspended for the rest of the tournament.

"If a Canadian player had done that, he'd have been suspended," he continued. "If a Canadian or American player had done that, we'd be called hooligans. But, if a Czech player does it, it's not a big deal."

Then, his anger went to another level, and he intimated that Hamrlik would receive a physical payback once the NHL season resumes next week.

"There is no payback here (at the Olympics)," Gretzky said. "But, next week … We have a saying in the NHL 'payback is a …' I just wouldn't want to be part of that next Rangers-Islanders game."

Who’s to Blame?

Canada coach Pat Quinn, in a press briefing immediately after Gretzky, also talked of payback during upcoming NHL games.

In the end, though, it's pretty clear Gretzky's comments were made with purpose. After all, he's seen thousands of nasty hits like the one delivered by Hamrlik. Where was the public outcry, then?

Right now, he wants to create an us-against-the-world mentality in the Canadian locker room and deflect the immense pressure on his club.

But, perhaps if Gretzky had chosen a better team, one more suited for this type of competition, he wouldn't have to lower himself to such grandstanding.

Maybe, if he'd placed his own ego on the shelf, he would have chosen Canada's most successful hockey coach, Detroit's Scotty Bowman, to run this team, instead of Quinn.

Perhaps, if he'd been a bit savvier, he would've named Canada's best active goaltender, Patrick Roy, to his original eight selections, instead of irritating Roy by snubbing him and creating a difficult situation.

Or, if he'd been a bit smarter, he'd have one of Canada's best young players, Joe Thornton, on his roster.

Instead, now that things aren't working out so well, he's looking to pass the blame and change the issue. Sorry Wayne, we're not biting.

If anyone is spewing propaganda, it's you, Great One.