Gretzky’s future as Canadian boss in doubt

Hockey legend assembled roster with much fanfare, says he is accountable

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Team Canada executive director Wayne Gretzky has shouldered much of the blame from his country's poor performance, and it caps a year that the 'Great One' would like to forget.

TURIN, Italy - Battered by scandal and failure, Wayne Gretzky was reassessing his future with Canada’s Olympic ice hockey team on Thursday after the defending champions exited the Turin Games in a 2-0 quarter-final defeat by Russia.

Gretzky arrived in Italy caught in the glare of the media spotlight created by an illegal betting scandal swirling around his family. He exits the same way shouldering the burden of Canada’s stunning failure to reach the medal round.

Immediately after the loss to Russia on Wednesday, Gretzky, who hand-picked the team that was announced with huge fanfare on national TV, took responsibility.

Rarely, if ever, has Gretzky -- widely regarded as the best player to ever lace up a pair of skates and a national treasure in Canada -- felt the sharp sting of criticism.

He led the country to victory in 2002 ending a 50-year Olympic gold medal drought which restored national pride. But the blame for Canada’s crushing failure in Italy is almost certain to be laid at the Great One’s feet.

“I take full responsibility,” said a drained Gretzky, Team Canada’s executive director. “It’s nobody else’s fault. I feel tremendously responsible that we didn’t win. There will be accountability over the next couple of years."

“I’ll reassess what I’m going to do in the future and what’s best for me and Hockey Canada. Hockey Canada is wonderful, my country is great, and I love it dearly.

“But I’m also human. It’s tough, it’s not fun when you don’t win.”

Certainly, Gretzky has had little reason to smile during a year wracked with personal tragedy and professional turmoil.

In December, he took a leave of absence from his ownership and coaching duties with the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes to be with his dying mother.

Three weeks later he was back in Canada mourning the death of his grandmother.

An investigation into an illegal betting ring involving his wife and assistant coach Rick Tocchet that exploded onto the front pages just prior to the start of the Turin Games, placed Gretzky in the eye of the storm just as Canada prepared to defend their title.

The NHL’s all-time leading scorer and Hall of Famer, Gretzky has seldom had to wrestle with failure on the ice but his Midas touch deserted him in Turin and for the first time dark clouds have begun to gather over his shiny reputation.

“There are no words to describe how devastating a loss this is,” said Gretzky, who was a player when Canada last failed to return home with a medal in 1998.

“The devastation is the same, the responsibility aspect is different. You feel more like a parent, like you have let your kids down.”

Reuters Limited