How to do the Michigan deke in NHL 23


NHL 23 brings another year of hockey sim action to fans, and few things are as satisfying as nailing moves like the Michigan deke.

We've got all the NHL 23 Michigan deke controls and tips on how to practice and eventually score with this lacrosse style goal.

How to do the Michigan deke in NHL 23

If you've heard whispers of the fabled lacrosse deke and goal or have seen players like Andrei Svechnikov or even Trevor Zegras use versions of it.

If you're looking to learn this move yourself, especially if you're a relatively new player to NHL 23, it helps to go in knowing this is one of the most difficult maneuvers in the game to execute.

You'll want to head to Training and Practice then select Free Skate, as you need to minimize what's going on while figuring out the timing here.

NHL 23 how to do the Michigan deke
click to enlarge
+ 2
EXPERTS: Cale Makar has one of the highest Deking ratings in NHL 23

BUY NOW: Get NHL 23 and start your journey today

When choosing a player to try this with, you'll want to decide whether to practice the left-handed shooter version or right-handed shooter version of the Michigan deke.

The actual controls are mirrored, so you'll want to know going in whether the player you plan to normally execute this move with (in Be A Pro or Franchise or elsewhere) shoots right or left.

If you want to practice the right-handed controls, start your Free Skate with Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche who has the highest Deking of any right-handed shooter.

If you want to practice the left-handed controls, start your Free Skate with Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers who has the highest Deking of any left-handed shooter.

Lacrosse Style / Michigan Deke Controls

Practice this move standing perfectly still near center ice, as your movement with the left stick isn't required and can complicate things while practicing.

For left-handed shooters, first move your right stick far left (to the 9 o'clock position) before pressing anything and keep it there.

Then you'll need to press and hold both LB / L1 and R3 / Right Stick, you can do this while stationary before ever executing the move and you should see your player shifting down into position like in the image below.

Michigan Deke NHL 23
click to enlarge
+ 2
GET LOW: Your player will crouch before executing the Michigan deke

After pressing, hold these as you then sweep the right stick from the 9 o'clock position down and around to the 3 o'clock position which will create the stick movement you're looking for.

If you're using a right-handed player instead, your buttons will be the same but you'll be moving the stick to the far right (to the 3 o'clock position) to begin and then making that stick sweep from 3 o'clock to 9 o'clock instead.

The real challenge here will be getting the timing of that 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock stick sweep or vice versa just right, as tiny millisecond variations can leave the puck flat on the ice or cause you to send it flying.

Our most valuable tip while trying to figure this out is to slow the stick rotation down significantly, as it's a lot less rushed of a motion than you might expect.

Practice this as much as you can in Free Skate until you're comfortable both executing the motion stationary and replicating it while in motion before you focus on scoring or hitting this in a game.

Scoring tips for the lacrosse goal

If you're looking to score with the Michigan deke or lacrosse goal in NHL 23, you'll usually be doing it from behind the net.

Left-handed shooters will want to be just behind the net on the left (if looking from in front of the goal) while right-handed shooters will do the same from the opposite side.

Normally you'll want to do this in motion while coming around to that side, but as mentioned above the timing on it is extremely challenging.

We managed to execute the move a handful of times in Free Skate, but getting purchase on the puck to finish it will take even more practice.

For more articles like this, take a look at our NHL page.