Player Superstitions

[Joe Pelletier]

Hello everyone.

I'm interested in hearing some of the better player or team superstitions.

Patrick Roy talked to his goal posts and would not skate on the blue and red lines. Glenn Hall had to throw up before each game. Sidney Crosby won't talk to his mother before a game.

What other famous superstitions are out there, be it from current or historical players or teams.

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[Vector]

Hmmm, I used to have a Tony Amonte card that listed his superstitions. He had three or four but the only one I remember is that he has to sleep in the left bed of a hotel room.

 

[Buck Aki Berg]

Toe Blake wuould never take a two-dollar bill in his change.

 

[Big Phil]

Hello everyone.

I'm interested in hearing some of the better player or team superstitions.

Patrick Roy talked to his goal posts and would not skate on the blue and red lines. Glenn Hall had to throw up before each game. Sidney Crosby won't talk to his mother before a game.

What other famous superstitions are out there, be it from current or historical players or teams.

The Glenn Hall thing wasnt really a superstition though. He would just be a nervous wreck everygame. He would do this in the middle of the game sometimes as well and I would be willing to bet that it had nothing to do with a superstition.

I'm not a big fan of superstitions. Martin Brodeur is as relaxed as can be prior to a game and no one will deny his success. I've always felt that superstition stems from insecurity and a lack of realism, not just in sports but in society. The truth is, no matter what, your team wont lose just because you used a salad fork while eating your steak.

 

[newf]

phil esposito was notoriously superstitious. one thing i remember is he liked to have an odd number of sticks behind the bench and he would always use the middle one.

 

[Vaheh]

The Glenn Hall thing wasnt really a superstition though. He would just be a nervous wreck everygame. He would do this in the middle of the game sometimes as well and I would be willing to bet that it had nothing to do with a superstition.

I'm not a big fan of superstitions. Martin Brodeur is as relaxed as can be prior to a game and no one will deny his success. I've always felt that superstition stems from insecurity and a lack of realism, not just in sports but in society. The truth is, no matter what, your team wont lose just because you used a salad fork while eating your steak.

Doesn't Brodeur shoot at the cross-bar at the end of every practice??

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

God love Google for this sort of thing. Found a good list:

http://fans.nhl.com/members/Ninh/blogs/5134

 

[Kyle McMahon]

The Glenn Hall thing wasnt really a superstition though. He would just be a nervous wreck everygame. He would do this in the middle of the game sometimes as well and I would be willing to bet that it had nothing to do with a superstition.

I'm not a big fan of superstitions. Martin Brodeur is as relaxed as can be prior to a game and no one will deny his success. I've always felt that superstition stems from insecurity and a lack of realism, not just in sports but in society. The truth is, no matter what, your team wont lose just because you used a salad fork while eating your steak.

Sometimes a superstitious ritual can put you in the right frame of mind, however. If a guy always eats the same thing before a game or dresses a certain way, he may feel more relaxed and secure phsycologically. They say it's often good to have a set routine for things. I agree about stuff in society like Friday the 13th or black cats or in Toe Blake's case, not accepting $2 bills or whatever, that stuff seems a little goofy.

 

[Big Phil]

Doesn't Brodeur shoot at the cross-bar at the end of every practice??

I've never heard about that, I can just remember that Brodeur is one of those goalies who will sit and shoot the breeze with a reporter prior to a game. 3 Cups, a Gold Medal and a World Cup along with 4 Vezinas tells me that being superstitious wont correlate to success.

 

[lemieux32*]

Keep in mind that superstitions are not necessarily things like eating at a specific time or not talking, they can be something as simple and, eventually, mindless as getting dressed in a certain order or driving a particular route to the rink. Something a player did before a game they did well in and just fell into doing it every time.

 

[Phil Parent]

phil esposito was notoriously superstitious. one thing i remember is he liked to have an odd number of sticks behind the bench and he would always use the middle one.

Esposito wouldn't play with a stick unless it had been sprinkled with baby powder.

 

[LeafzFan*]

Patrick Roy used to talk to his posts and never touch blue lines when he played