Gretzky Story: Wrong Team Told They Could Draft Patrick Kane

During the broadcast of the Chicago Blackhawks vs. Detroit Red Wings game, hockey legend Wayne Gretzky shared an intriguing story about the 2007 NHL Draft lottery involving Patrick Kane. According to Gretzky, there was a brief, confusing moment when Kane was nearly announced as a member of the Arizona Coyotes.

The call that revealed the 2007 NHL Draft Lottery results first said the Coyotes won by mistake…@WayneGretzky almost got to coach Patrick Kane ? pic.twitter.com/vQ3xSXs3fZ

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) November 7, 2024

Gretzky explained that during the lottery draw, conducted over the phone, the person reading the results mistakenly announced that the Coyotes had won the first overall pick. For a split second, it seemed like Arizona would draft Kane, who went on to become one of the most electric and accomplished players in the NHL. However, the announcement was corrected, and the Chicago Blackhawks were confirmed as the actual winners of the top pick.

Gretzky said it was a simple mistake, but it would have been unbelievable to imagine what dominos would have fallen if it had turned out to be correct. The Blackhawks won three Stanley Cups with Kane on the roster and the Coyotes struggled, eventually leaving Phoenix and Arizona altogether.

Kane Snafu Proves Coyotes Couldn’t Catch a Break During Their NHL Run

Coyotes fans, who endured their fair share of tough moments in the franchise’s history, would have drafted a dynamic star if Kane had joined their team. The near-miss only adds to Arizona’s long list of “what could have been” moments.

Gretzky laughed at the story, but someone that competitive probably wasn’t laughing at the time the mistake was made. The team ended up taking Kyle Turris with the third-overall pick.

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