Ex-Leaf predicts the NHL will ban one of the most popular moves among hockey fans

This past weekend, we saw two of the league's top young up-and-comers score highlight reel goals, using "The Michigan", a lacrosse-style goal. The move has become insanely popular among fans, largely due to the skill and hand-eye coordination it takes to pull it off. Still, with only a handful of these goals scored in NHL history, both Connor Bedard and Trevor Zegras pulled off the move on the same night.

In case you missed it, here are the goals in question:





As exciting as it is to see players score using "The Michigan", a former Maple Leaf has made quite the prediction regarding the move just before the start of the holiday break. The Leafs Nation's Jay Rosehill believes that the NHL will ban "The Michigan" within 2 years.


As popular as the move is among fans, there are some in the NHL who dislike it and feel as though it should be illegal. On one hand, the stick often does get pretty high up around the neck and head of goaltenders. It's really only a matter of time before a goalie ends up being speared in the neck. On the other hand, why would the NHL opt to ban a move that is so popular among fans? These types of goals rarely occur, so when someone does score one, it's exciting.

Rosehill was never known for playing a skill-based game. The former NHL enforcer was likely one of the guys who would have taken a run at someone behind the net for even attempting the move. He also has more of an old-school hockey mind, much like another well-known name in hockey, John Tortorella. Torts, like Rosehill, believes that moves like "The Michigan" are a bit of a sideshow.

Whether you like or dislike the move, there's no arguing the fact that it's innovative and has changed the way plays from behind the net are viewed. It's just something else to consider - and is that really such a bad thing?