Gretzky, the executive director of Team Canada, lashed out at its critics and Czech defenceman Roman Hamrlik, in particular, on Monday.
Gretzky was livid after watching Hamrlik spear Ryan Smyth, then blindside Theoren Fleury with a cross-check from behind in the closing seconds of Canada's 3-3 tie with the Czech Republic.
Gretzky claimed Hamrlik was deliberately attempting to injure Fleury who, minutes earlier, set up Joe Nieuwendyk's game-tying goal.
An angry Wayne Gretzky departs the E-Center on Monday.(CP Photo)
"The guy should be suspended the rest of tournament, simple as that," Gretzky told reporters at a packed post-game media conference.
"If a Canadian did it or an American player, we'd be hooligans."
Smyth was forechecking another defenceman to the left of the Czech net when Hamrlik hooked him over the right shoulder, then speared him in the stomach.
Hamrlik then skated towards the slot and cross-checked Fleury in the lower back.
The closing sequence of events a rare explosion of raw emotion from Gretzky, one of hockey's most gentlemanly personalities.
"Am I hot? Yeah, I'm hot," he said. "Because I'm tired of people taking shots at Canadian hockey.
"When we do it, we're hooligans. When Europeans do it, it's okay because they're not tough or they're not dirty.
"That's a crock of crap."
Gretzky called Hamrlik's actions "cowardly" and evidence of an existing double standard between European and North American hockey players.
"If I'm wrong, I would tell you," Gretzky said. "I'd apologize.
"One of the things we have to eliminate out of our game is that stuff. If a Canadian did it, it would be big news.
"A Czech does it, it's okay. There was a spear and a cross-check in the same play.
"I don't understand it."
Gretzky forewarned that retribution would be forthcoming for Hamrlik once the NHL resumes play following the 2002 Salt Lake Games.
"Payback's going to be awful tough," he suggested. "Believe me, it's not going to be pretty.
"I wouldn't want to be in that Rangers-Islanders game next week."
Fleury's New York Rangers face Hamrlik's New York Islanders on Mar. 25.
Gretzky's vent did not stop at Hamrlik, but rather continued with comments about the mutual disdain European players feel for the Canadians and their inherent passion for hockey.
"I don't think we dislike those countries as much as they hate us," he said. "That's a fact.
"They don't like us. They want to see us fail.
"They love beating us ... Believe me. On the ice, that's what they say.
"They don't like us. We have to get that same feeling towards them."
Gretzky also took issue with U.S. media coverage accorded Team Canada thus far at the 2002 Salt Lake Games.
"It almost sickens my stomach to turn the TV on because I'm such a proud Canadian and such a fan of our game and proud of all the players in our locker room. It makes me ill, some of the things that are said about us.
Dubbing it "American propaganda," Gretzky continued: "We're the biggest story in hockey. They're loving us not doing well.
"It's a big story for them. They've got two Canadian stories -- figure skaters and the hockey team.
"You know, it's such a crock of bull."
Gretzky paused momentarily, then offered impassioned insight into Team Canada's current mindset.
"We have great guys in our locker room," he began. "Nobody wants us to win more than our players.
"Our fans are loyal. Nobody understands the pressure these guys are under.
"They don't understand the B.S our guys have to go through and we're still here, we're still standing. We're very proud, we're proud players.
"Like I said, our country plays hard and we respect every team we play and we don't dislike them. Maybe sometimes when we start to dislike them, we play better."
"Our guy sucked it up and played hard," Gretzky concluded. "We outskated them and we're still standing.
"We have a proud bunch in our locker room. The whole world wants us to lose, except for Canada and Canada fans."
Team Canada next faces Finland as the Olympic elimination round begins on Wednesday (10 p.m. ET, CBC).
