When Wayne Gretzky became first player to have his name on 20-foot goal lamp to light up North Pole for Team Canada

Wayne Gretzky is the leading points and goal scorer in the NHL. He ruled the sport for nearly two decades during his time in the league before retiring in April 1999. To date he is celebrated as a hockey icon.

The same respect was shown in February 2016 during the World Pond Hockey Championships in Plaster Rock, New Brunswick. Gretzky's nameplate was added to a 20-foot goal lamp. It was set to later light up the North Pole for Team Canada during the World Cup of Hockey.

The Budweiser goal lamp was designed to travel across Canada before reaching the North Pole. Like the Stanley Cup, it was covered with nameplates of hockey fans. Gretzky’s name was the first to be added, honoring his impact on Canadian hockey.

"I was the first Canadian to add my name to Canada's Goal Light. You can add your name at Budweiser.ca #lightthelamp" Gretzky wrote in his Febuary 2016 tweet.

The event had 120 teams playing in a 4-on-4 round-robin format on 20 outdoor rinks built on Roulston Lake. Over 8,000 spectators attended, with teams from every Canadian province and territory, 35 American states and 15 other countries participating.

The goal lamp was a promotional move and it was later removed after the World Cup of Hockey 2016.

Wayne Gretzky's statue outside Rogers Place was smeared with feces

Wayne Gretzky's statue outside Rogers Place in Edmonton was smeared with feces by an unknown person. Workers cleaned it on Friday morning but the vandal has not been found, and the reason for the act is unclear.

The incident happened as Gretzky faced criticism for his friendship with U.S. President Donald Trump. Gretzky supported Trump in 2020 and attended his inauguration wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat. Many Canadians have been critical of Trump recently.

Trump has praised Gretzky and once joked about making him the governor of Canada. This caused more backlash and in February, Gretzky was booed at a Canada-U.S. hockey game. An online petition to rename Wayne Gretzky Drive in Edmonton has gained over 13,600 signatures.

Gretzky started his NHL career with the Edmonton Oilers. He later played for the Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, and New York Rangers before his retirement. He has won four Stanley Cups in his NHL career

Authorities are investigating the vandalism and it is unknown if the act was political or just mischief.