Canucks fans had fun with Gretzky, Nickelback, Aquilini meme material
Legends were in the building at last night’s Vancouver Canucks game, and we’re not just talking about Nearly Neil.
Wayne Gretzky was spotted at yesterday’s morning skate, so it wasn’t a total surprise to see the Great One taking in a game at Rogers Arena. Gretzky was in Seattle for the Winter Classic on Monday and made the short trip north to Vancouver, where his good buddy Rick Tocchet is the odds-on favourite to win coach of the year as the bench boss of the Canucks.
But we didn’t anticipate who his seat-mates would be.
Gretzky took in the game with Nickelback’s Chad Kroeger and Canucks owner Francesco Aquilini, sitting only a few rows behind the Ottawa Senators bench. They were sitting in the new black VIP seats, with access to the fancy lounge located between the Canucks and Senators dressing rooms, which just opened earlier this season.
That meant they were easy to spot for fans in nearby seats.
THE GREAT ONE! Wayne Gretzky at the game tonight #Canucks #nhl pic.twitter.com/wYeBmeqjhE
— Vashal Singh (@viciousvashal) January 3, 2024
Sens putting on a show in front of The Great One. Wayno not impressed. pic.twitter.com/CrhxV9Zmzs
— Martian (@LalimesMartian) January 3, 2024
Television cameras caught them too.
The š Wayne Gretzky taking in a Canucks game with Chad Kroeger! pic.twitter.com/3cXx0YxcfG
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) January 3, 2024
Wonder what story Wayne was telling them š pic.twitter.com/dyzES3PVmM
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) January 3, 2024
This isn’t the first time Aquilini has been spotted hanging with Gretzky. He posed for a photo with the Great One and Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton back in August.
The internet, of course, reacted accordingly. And with the Canucks scoring goals like Gretzky’s 1980s Edmonton Oilers in the first period, there was plenty of meme material.
Gretzky here to buy the #Canucks š¤£ pic.twitter.com/8KagXmrgsH
— RogNuckStriš (@RogNuck) January 3, 2024
Gretzky predicting how many goals the Canucks will score tonight https://t.co/8Sl97Wf3IC
— Andy Cole (@AndyCole1984) January 3, 2024
Gretzky wants 10 & @Canucks might just grant em his wish. https://t.co/yTTDZL5wFA
— BlueGreen4Life (@bluegreen4life) January 3, 2024
— Matt de Medeiros (@MattdeMedeiros) January 3, 2024
canucks when gretzky is in town pic.twitter.com/TjROFiNmWF
— Tommy (@tommykippes2) January 3, 2024
You may be cool but are you "Ive got Gretzky and Kroeger as my wingmen tonite" cool? pic.twitter.com/SGICBsieoo
— Puckerglen (@puckerglen) January 3, 2024
This picture is Canadian AF. Gretzky, lead singer of Nickleback a guy in a Tragically Hip shirt at a hockey game.
— Andrew ND (@Reds_Andrew87) January 3, 2024
Aquilini third wheeling it. pic.twitter.com/H4LTtfmiqZ
— Pucks On Net (@Pucksonnetca) January 3, 2024
Sens fans had a different take.
Look what watching the Sens has done to Wayne Gretzky. Thatās a new rock bottom. pic.twitter.com/C3j1MpHEBy
— Jack Richardson (@jackrichrdson) January 3, 2024
While Gretzky got his moment on the big screen, Kroeger wasn’t formally introduced to the crowd. They did play a few Nickelback songs for him, though, including “How You Remind Me” during the third-period singalong.
After seeing fans rock out to the tune, Kroeger stood up near the end of the song, much to the delight of fans around him in section 117.
Btw this is the moment Chad Kroeger was hamming it up during the Nickelback third period singalong pic.twitter.com/JqDxCKp9oi
— Rob Williams (@RobTheHockeyGuy) January 3, 2024
The Great One takes Vancouver. š
Ā
Welcome Wayne Gretzky to Rogers Arena! pic.twitter.com/KRJI4LR7E8— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) January 3, 2024
Oh hey look Iām in the same building as Wayne Gretzky, aka future holder of 2nd place on the NHLās all-time goals list behind only Alex Ovechkin š pic.twitter.com/I37NkhBN1t
— psychotic ovi fan (@real_jeff_zhou) January 3, 2024
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