Wayne Gretzky's honest opinion after watching Connor Bedard's Michigan goal live - "I couldn't do what he did tonight"

By Arnab Mondal

Modified Dec 28, 2023 11:39 GMT

During a rece­nt game against the St. Louis Blues, young Connor Bedard amazed hockey legend Wayne Gretzky with an incre­dible goal. Bedard skillfully lifted the puck and guided it around the net in a "Michigan" maneuver. Even Gretzky, considered one of the best players ever in the­ sport, was stunned by Bedard's impressive­ skills.

The remarkable goal showed that Bedard possesses traits that could surpass even those of leaders like Gretzky.

"I couldn't do what he did tonight. That just wasn't in my repertoire. I didn't have the right kind of curve. Hully (Bobby Hull) could do it. I could never do what he did tonight. It was fun to watch," Gretzky candidly confessed during an interview with Bally St. Louis.

The revelation from Gretzky came as a surprise to many. Even Gretzky's daughter, Emma, sought clarification from her father, asking:

"Dad, did you ever do that?" to which Gretzky responded, "No, I could never do that."

The origin of the now-famous "Michigan" goal traces back to Bill Armstrong, a minor league player for the Albany Devils who initially experimented with the move during practice.

Armstrong's successful integration of the trick into real-game scenarios, where he scored four goals using this technique, eventually paved the way for Bedard's jaw-dropping performance.

Defying Doubts: Paul Coffey's Coaching Impact Shines Amid Wayne Gretzky's Skepticism

Wayne Gretzky's blunt opinion couldn't deter hockey legend Paul Coffey from embracing his role as the Edmonton Oilers' assistant coach. Despite Gretzky expressing concerns about setting himself up to fail, Coffey remained resolute in his commitment to making a positive impact on the team.

"I talk to Wayne Gretzky every other day...He said, ‘You’re setting yourself up to fail.’ It didn’t bother me. I didn’t really care about that," Coffey revealed.

Since Coffey and coach Kris Knoblauch took charge on Nov. 12, the Oilers have undergone a remarkable turnaround, boasting a 10-4 record. Particularly noteworthy is the drastic improvement in defense, with goals against per game plummeting from 3.92 to 2.93.

Edmonton's defensive skills shone through in an eight-game winning streak where they gave up only 13 goals.

Coffey's influence reached specific players, with Darnell Nurse and Evan Bouchard improving noticeably.