Hockey Superstitions
Friday the 13th may be a day of superstitions, but in the world of hockey, some rituals and beliefs extend far beyond this ominous date. Let's take a look at some of the quirkiest and most enduring superstitions in the sport!
#1: Patrick Roy - The Post Whisperer In a playogame against Hartford in 1986 Roy asked the posts to "help him out". He played a great game and was saved by the post in OT when a slapshot beat him. They ended up winning the game. Roy continued this for the rest of his career.
#2: Sidney Crosby - Do Not Touch Crosby is very particular about his sticks before games. He likes them all taped in a specific way. He will not let anyone touch them after they are taped and ready to go. If someone does, he removes it and retapes the entire thing.
#3: Ray Bourque - The Lace King NHL Legend Ray Bourque changed his laces not only before every game but in between every period. This means he likely went through over 5,478 pairs of laces in his career. If only Howies was around back then, we would've gladly sold to Ray
#4: The Playoff Beard The Islanders won 4 straight Cups in the early 80's. Some would argue it was entirely due to their shaggy playoff beards. They were the first team to introduce this superstition that has made its way into just about every postseason in professional sports.
#5: The Detriot Octopus Before game 1 of the 1952 playoffs, a dead octopus was hurled onto the ice in Detriot. Each one of the 8 tentacles represented a win needed to secure the Cup, as there were only 2 rounds at that time. Detriots won 8 straight sweeping Toronto & Montreal.
As we embrace the chills of Friday the 13th, it's clear that hockey superstitions are more than just quirks; they're woven into the fabric of the game, embodying the dedication, belief, and camaraderie that make this sport truly unique.