Connor Bedard is having a standout rookie season for the Chicago Blackhawks, and he’s been scoring some truly jaw-dropping goals while being very casual about how impressive they actually are. It’s amazing.
The star center pulled off another incredible move Saturday in his team’s 7-5 loss to the St. Louis Blues. But forget about the loss because this lacrosse-style goal was mesmerizing and definitely the highlight of the game.
It was such a big deal that even the great Wayne Gretzky was in awe and praised Bedard’s stick skills. Bedard was alone behind Blues goalie Jordan Binnington, picked up the puck with his stick and wrapped around the net and tossed it in.
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OH MY GOODNESS CONNOR BEDARD!!! pic.twitter.com/saUpUBMXIx
— Blackhawks Talk (@NBCSBlackhawks) December 24, 2023
Pretty amazing, and Gretzky thought so too, saying: “I couldn’t do what he did tonight.”
"I couldn't do what he did tonight."
—Wayne Gretzky after Connor Bedard's Michigan goal 👀 pic.twitter.com/p3rr9ffpf3
— ESPN (@espn) December 24, 2023
Gretzky continued:
“That just wasn’t in my repertoire. I didn’t have the right kind of curve. [Bobby Hull] could do it. I could never do what he did tonight. It was fun to watch. My daughter, Emma, is with me. And she goes, ‘Dad, did you ever do that?’ And I said ‘No, I could never do that.'”
This lacrosse-style goal is also known as a “Michigan goal,” and, according to NBC Sports Chicago, here’s how it originated:
The goal originated with Bill Armstrong, a minor league player for the Albany Devils. Trying it at practice, he wondered if he could use the move in a real game. He did. And he scored four goals with that trick.
Mike Legg, a winger for the Michigan Wolverines, heard about the move and used it himself in a 1996 NCAA Tournament game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. It was named the “Goal of the Year” by Swedish magazine Inside Hockey. The stick Legg used was later donated to the Hockey Hall of Fame.
The goal is referred to by many names. The “Michigan,” the “high wrap,” the “Zorro.”
Hockey fans loved this compliment from The Great One:
I think if Wayne Gretzky or Michael Jordan ever said something like this about me respective to their field of play, I would need a couple of days to just recover from hearing that. https://t.co/TS4zSu3pJH
— Saad Yousuf (@SaadYousuf126) December 24, 2023
This was a spectacular display of once in a lifetime talent that is going to keep rocking the hockey world for years to come.
Unreal! https://t.co/OOrTFdLpnD— Tina Issa 🇺🇸 (@tinaissa) December 24, 2023
Gretzky basically admitting Bedard clears him. Humble guy. https://t.co/PNAaNDcv1C
— Beau Rehner (@BeauRehner) December 24, 2023
i would SOB if the great one said this about me https://t.co/KxO7DiKf8Y
— Kayla Shoemaker💛 (@_kaylashoemaker) December 24, 2023
Imagine being 18 years old and the GOAT says this about you. https://t.co/FMdEb4Wrw5
— Dan Campbell (@DaninCarteret) December 24, 2023
High praise from The Great One once again. https://t.co/TJSnJru8Zn
— Andrew P (@apro1799) December 24, 2023
How cool is this! https://t.co/gh4QptAVdi
— Joe Hugen (@Joe_Hugen) December 24, 2023
When the GOAT is impressed, good things are coming. https://t.co/9O4yA2Djiy
— Patrick Comiskey (@Comiskey22) December 24, 2023
That was awesome https://t.co/tu4atuwAMn
— Ryan Lacey (@RyanLac51729795) December 24, 2023
Great One, indeed! https://t.co/CAq7DajaB9
— Brian Hanley (@BrianHanley534) December 24, 2023
Thing of beauty https://t.co/9kQ13TrQcq
— Frank the Tank (@frankthetank111) December 24, 2023
Woah. https://t.co/qyx5BMKrVK
— KulTron (@KUL_TRON) December 24, 2023
