Max Domi scored against the Pittsburgh Penguins on his 30th birthday. After the game, he revealed he had received a very special phone call from none other than Wayne Gretzky—and he also came to The Great One’s defense.
Domi opened the scoring in Sunday’s game, which ended in a thrilling 6-5 overtime win for the Maple Leafs. For him, it was the perfect birthday celebration. He turned 30 on Sunday, and afterward, he shared that his day had been made even more special by a call from the greatest hockey player of all time.
“Last night, I got a call from Wayne Gretzky with my pops (Tie Domi) wishing me a happy birthday,” Domi told Sportsnet. “And I think that was probably the highlight. He said, ‘Make sure you shoot the puck. I’ll be watching tomorrow.’”
Tie Domi’s words on Wayne Gretzky
But Domi also had a clear message for everyone. In recent weeks, Gretzky has faced criticism over his friendship with former U.S. President Donald Trump, who has talked about making Canada the United States’ 51st state and has also threatened the country with tariffs.
Since then, Bobby Orr and Janet Gretzky have spoken out in Gretzky’s defense, saying he is a “proud Canadian” and that his “heart is broken” over the backlash. Now, Max Domi has also shared his thoughts, standing up for Gretzky.
“Wayne Gretzky is the greatest player of all time. He’s why I play hockey. So, to get a call from a guy that is literally the best ever on my birthday was pretty special. To put one in—even though it was a complete tap-in—that one was for him. So, super grateful. And like I said, he makes me so proud to be Canadian.”
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