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The Strangest Superstitions in NHL History
This article was originally written in December, 2014.
As professional athletes, NHL hockey players will do what ever it takes to be successful on the ice. On top of their on and off ice training and preparation, many players throughout NHL history have adopted strange, often disturbing superstitions in order to ensure their on ice success.
Oddly enough, some of the best players to have played in the NHL are those with the wackiest, most unexpected superstitions. Superstitions aren’t limited strictly to players, as whole teams often follow specific rituals in order to help their team’s win.
Strange Superstitions: Patrick’s Posts
Inanimate objects can’t talk. Oh, wait, what’s that Patrick? They can?
You read that right, Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy had conversations with his goalposts, although all they ever had to say back was “bing”. Roy did this because he felt it helped to improve his game, and that he would play better with the goalposts on his side. Literally.
The superstition began during the 1986 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Hartford Whalers. Roy said it began by accident during the national anthems:
“They (the goalposts) helped me, and I played a good game. In overtime a guy took a slapshot and hit the post but we won.”
What exactly would Roy say to his posts?
“Come on guys help me out. Before the game I give them direction. The goalposts are always with me. They talk back to me. Some nights they say ‘bing’. But some nights they have a bad night, too.”
As crazy as it sounds, Roy’s superstition would help pave the way to a fantastic career. Roy went on to win four Stanley Cups and three Vezina Trophies.
Strange Superstitions: No More Nerves
Likely the most disturbing superstition in NHL history belongs to “Mr. Goalie”, also known as Glenn Hall.
A physically disturbing ritual, Hall would force himself to vomit before each game, especially later in his career. Why? Similar to Patrick Roy, he had the superstition that doing so would improve his on ice performance.
“I got the feeling I wasn’t giving everything I had if I didn’t go through it. I also felt I played better. I felt if I wasn’t wired, I wasn’t playing well. I’d get up in the morning and I couldn’t wait for game time.”
Hall felt that in order to live up to his own high standard of play, he had to find a way cope with and relieve the pressure of playing in hockey games of massive significance. Clearly, his decision to do so paid off in the long run, as Glenn Hall not only raised the Stanley Cup, but won three Vezina Trophies and was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1975 with 407 career wins.
Strange Superstitions: My Precious!
Eddie “The Eagle” Belfour was a tremendous goalie in his NHL career. Inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011, Belfour won a Stanley Cup, two Vezina Trophies and 484 games in his career. Along the way, Belfour had, like many, a superstition.
Eddie’s superstition was attached to his goalie equipment. He refused to let anybody except for himself touch any article of his equipment. The superstition was so strong in fact, that he was known to threaten those who came near or touched his equipment.
“If you touch my stuff, I’ll kill you.”
Obviously not serious regarding the threat, it’s clear just how specific Belfour was about who touched his equipment, as he felt he played a his best when only he had touched it. Belfour was also known to completely disassemble parts of his equipment, such as his glove, if he had a bad game or let in a soft goal.
Strange Superstitions: The Great One and Baby Powder?
That’s right, one of the many superstitions of Wayne Gretzky was applying Baby Powder to his stick before games.
Gretzky could be the most superstitious NHL player in the league’s storied history. Does this mean that superstitions lead to success? I would say no. But for the “Great One”, they certainly didn’t hurt.
Wayne Gretzky #99 (Photo by B Bennett/Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)
On top of his use of Baby Powder:
- Gretzky refused to ever have his hair cut while on the road. The one time he did have it cut, his team lost horribly.
- Gretzky always put his equipment on in a specific order. His bottom half left to right, and top half left to right.
- In warm up, Gretzky would purposely miss his first shot on net wide right.
- Following warm-ups, Gretzky would drink select beverages in a particular order. A Diet Coke, water, Gatorade and another Diet Coke.
Despite how odd these rituals were, they led Gretzky to four Stanley Cup’s, countless awards, 2857 career points and a Hall of Fame induction.
Strange Superstitions: Sid the Perfectionist
When I say perfectionist it is not a reference to his game on the ice, but to Sidney Crosby‘s superstition with his hockey sticks.
With his sticks, each must be cut to a specific length and taped in a specific way. Once they are taped, no one can touch them, and if they do, Crosby is forced to fully re-tape the stick, feeling that the stick will not perform as it should unless handled by him alone.
Sidney Crosby (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
Crosby’s other superstition is not calling his mother on game days. The three times he has done so has resulted in three significant injuries, a dislocated shoulder, broken foot and shattered teeth.
Strange Superstitions: Hands off the Hardware!
One of the best known superstitions in NHL history is the choice teams face after winning either the Eastern or Western Conference Finals. Presented with either the Prince of Wales Trophy or Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, the winning team will have to decide whether to touch the trophy in receiving it, or not touch it.
A ridiculous superstition, it is the belief of players that receiving or touching the Conference Trophy is a bad omen, and decreases a team’s chances of winning the main prize, the Stanley Cup. Yet throughout NHL history, this seems to not be the case, as teams which chose to touch a conference trophy tend to go on to win the Stanley Cup approximately 50% of the time.
In 2008, Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins elected to not touch the Prince of Wales Trophy and went on to lose in the Stanley Cup Finals. A year later, Crosby chose to pick up the Trophy, and the Penguins went on to win the Stanley Cup.
Other Odd Superstitions:
- Chris Chelios: Last person to put on his jersey before a game.
- Jocelyn Thibault: Would pour water on his head six and a half minutes before a game.
- Joe Nieuwendyk: Ate two pieces of toast with peanut butter before every game.
- Brendan Shanahan: Wore his junior hockey shoulder pads in Detroit, listened to Madonna pre-game.
- Karl Alzner: Taps stick 88 times, traces maple leaf outline before national anthems conclude.
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