DETROIT — Wayne Gretzky shed some tears after Canada flopped to a seventh-place finish at the Olympics four years ago.

The Great One made moves as Hockey Canada executive director — such as sticking with aging players who won gold in 2002 — that were widely criticized.

If Steve Yzerman ends up crying in Vancouver, he and the hockey-crazed country that is counting on him to win gold hopes it’s from joy.

“At the end of the day, you have to win,” Yzerman said in an interview with The Associated Press. “I know that.”

The pressure-packed job was handed to Yzerman after Gretzky couldn’t capture the chemistry the Canadians had at the Salt Lake City Games where they snapped a half-century long drought with hockey gold under his guidance as executive director. Gretzky was overcome with emotion after watching Russia skate past and beat his team in the 2006 quarterfinals. Now, Gretzky is a special adviser behind the scenes.

The Hall of Fame player known as The Captain during his NHL career in Detroit was faced with some tough decisions when Canada’s preliminary roster was announced. Canada’s 33 million residents will clamor for Sidney Crosby and Co. to win gold on home ice. Nothing less will make them happy.