With the NHL playoffs starting Saturday, superstitions take over as both players and fans search for any edge that might help their team make a run at the Stanley Cup.
Every sport has its rituals, but hockey, from the locker room to the stands, takes it to another level. Here are five that capture it best.
Wear It Again (And Again)
Some rituals are private, wearing the same jersey, hat, or sitting in the same spot, things people don’t always talk about openly. Hockey fans, however, tend to embrace it. It’s part of the culture to believe that what you do has a real impact on the outcome, especially in the playoffs when logic often takes a back seat.
According to a Canada Sports Betting survey, 71% of NHL fans don’t wash their sweater during the playoffs, just in case it’s lucky. Wearing the same sweater is one thing, most fans probably only have one or two, but never washing it is another level. Unsurprisingly, Toronto Maple Leafs fans had the highest rate of ritualistic behavior, though it hasn’t exactly translated to results. Maybe try something different guys?
Belief in Behaviors
That mindset isn’t random, it’s driven by the nature of the sport itself. Hockey is inherently chaotic. It’s fast, violent, and unpredictable. Low-scoring games are common, particularly in the playoffs, where one bounce can decide a game or even a series. That tension keeps everyone, whether in the arena or on their couch, on the edge of their seat, fingernails worn down by the second.
In that kind of environment, people look for something they can control. Whether that’s refusing to change seats when things are going well or refusing to go to the bathroom during a power play, it’s only fitting that hockey fans believe they can actually impact the game they’re watching.
Grow It Out
Of course, fans aren’t the only ones prone to superstitions. Players can be just as bad.
Grooming is a good place to start, and while this isn’t uniquely a hockey tradition, the playoff beard is most closely associated with the sport. The trend dates back to the New York Islanders in the 1980s, when players stopped shaving during their postseason runs.
Growing a playoff beard signifies that the regular season is over and it’s time to lock in on the playoffs, where players can’t be thinking about anything but the games. Small changes like pre-game meals, music, and even shaving can mean the end of their run.
Hands Off
One of the most famous player superstitions in hockey revolves around its most iconic trophy, the Stanley Cup.
Players generally believe they shouldn’t touch the Cup unless they’ve earned the right by winning it, even if they played a limited role in the run. P.K. Subban is one example, noting that he hadn’t earned the right and preferred to respect the tradition.
For many, it’s about respect as much as superstition, a belief that the Cup is reserved for champions and should only be touched accordingly.
The Conference Trophy Dilemma
Another long-standing tradition involves how teams treat their conference championship trophies, and it’s a slightly different mindset than the Stanley Cup itself. While players completely avoid touching the Cup because it hasn’t been earned yet, the conference trophy presents a choice. Some players hoist it, others avoid it entirely, believing the Stanley Cup is the only one that matters.
What often happens, though, is that teams adjust based on previous results. If they avoid the trophy and lose in the Final, they may change their approach the next time. And if they touch it and fall short, they might avoid it the following year.
The Edmonton Oilers are a recent example. After staying away from the Western Conference trophy in 2024 and losing in the Final, they reversed course in 2025 and hoisted it, hoping for a different outcome (it didn’t pan out, but it was worth a shot Oilers fans).
Parting (Slap)shot
Superstitions are part of what makes playoff hockey unique, shared by both the players on the ice and the fans watching every shift. Whether it’s avoiding the Stanley Cup, growing out a playoff beard, or painting your face as a sign of support, these habits all come from the same place: a desire for control in a sport that rarely offers it.
Maybe none of it actually changes the outcome. But in a game decided by inches and seconds, no one is willing to find out otherwise.
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