Wayne Gretzky has backed Prime Minister Mark Carney's decision to bar Russia from the world junior hockey championship in Alberta.

Gretzky, the NHL's all-time points leader, spoke on Friday at a Toronto ceremony honouring his late father, Walter.

"Nobody likes war, right?" Gretzky said. "We definitely don't want to see this. We hope it ends. We wish it didn't start. I understand the stance the prime minister is taking, and good for him."

Carney announced earlier this week that Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be allowed to represent their countries on Canadian soil while the war in Ukraine continues. "While Russia and Belarus are supporting this illegal, unjustified, horrific war in Ukraine, as long as that's going on, there will be none of those athletes competing for their countries in Canada," he told reporters on Tuesday at the Commonwealth Summit in Antigua.

Court ruling forced Ottawa's hand

The decision followed a ruling by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland that Russia must be reinstated to international hockey competition, starting with the world juniors in Edmonton and Red Deer.

Russian and Belarusian teams have been banned from international events since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Ottawa says it will use its immigration powers to stop Russian and Belarusian athletes and officials entering Canada to compete under their national symbols.

Sweden, Finland, Czechia and Latvia have said their teams will not play Russia if it returns. Moscow says the court ruling is final and it will seek its return through the International Ice Hockey Federation.

"He's made that stance, and he's made it clear," Gretzky said of Carney. "I think a lot of the players and the people of Canada feel the same way."