Connor Bedard bites back at Wayne Gretzky's comments during interview

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Sam Walker
December 28, 2023 (10:04)

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Connor Bedard's amazing "Michigan" goal is still the talk of the town. Before the Chicago Blackhawks played the Winnipeg Jets, the rookie sensation shared his thoughts on the viral moment and the surprising comments from hockey legend Wayne Gretzky.

Gretzky, often considered the greatest player of all time, admitted, "I couldn't do what he did tonight," referring to Bedard's incredible goal. Gretzky's daughter, Emma, even asked him if he ever pulled off such a move, and he said, "No, I could never do that."

"I couldn't do what he did tonight," Wayne Gretzky told Bally St. Louis on Saturday. "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. My daughter Emma is with me. And she goes, 'Dad, did you ever do that?' And I said 'No, I could never do that.'"

Bedard, surprised that Gretzky knew who he was, expressed gratitude for the hockey icon's kind words. When asked if he thought Gretzky could have done the Michigan move in his prime, Bedard humorously said, "Maybe not with his curve he was using," referring to the type of stick Gretzky played with.

However, Bedard quickly acknowledged that Gretzky, with his unmatched skills, could likely have succeeded. The rookie highlighted the challenge of creating space behind the net for such moves but recognized the element of surprise for goalies.

"To hear him talk about me and say some kinds of words is pretty special," he said.

On whether or not he thinks Gretzky would have been able to pull off the play in his heyday, the Blackhawks rookie gave a cheeky response.

"Maybe not with his curve he was using," he joked.

The interaction between the young Blackhawks star and the hockey legend adds another layer of excitement to Bedard's already historic season.