The Weekly Wraparound: Superstitions, Rituals & Other Weird Hockey Truths
Because talent matters… but luck apparently matters more.
Hockey is skill, speed, and systems…
but it’s also unwashed jerseys, lucky socks, and parents afraid to move seats.
This week’s wrap-around is all about hockey superstitions we pretend aren’t real- but absolutely are. 🏒
The Things You Are Not Allowed to Change
At some point every player decides, “This worked once,” and from that moment on, it becomes law.
The No-Wash Rule
Winning streaks have been protected by some truly questionable gear decisions. Jerseys don’t get washed. Socks don’t get touched. Equipment starts to smell like regret, but nobody says a word because no one wants to be responsible for breaking the streak.
Getting Dressed in the “Right” Order
Same skate first. Same sock. Same glove. Every single time.
If someone distracts them or messes up the order, you’ll hear about it later. Possibly for years.
Stick Tape Is Sacred
Once a tape job produces a goal, it stays. Even when it’s barely hanging on. Changing it mid-streak feels reckless. Borderline irresponsible.
Goalies Are a Different Category Entirely
Every team knows this. No one questions it.
Goalies:
Tap their posts before faceoffs
Talk to the posts (out loud)
Follow very specific routines getting on the ice
Do not want casual conversation mid-game
And if a goalie has a shutout going?
You do not say the word. Ever. Not until the final horn. Everyone knows the rule.
Pregame Food, Music & Other Hockey Logic
Hockey logic doesn’t always make sense, but it’s taken very seriously.
Pasta Is Basically Mandatory
If there’s a pregame meal, there’s pasta. Usually with red sauce. Cream sauce makes people nervous, but they eat it anyway.
The “Lucky” Playlist
If a playlist is playing during a win, congratulations, that’s the playlist for the rest of the season. Even if half the team hates it.
Doorways Matter
Some players won’t step on logos or cracks entering the rink. Some tap the doorframe. No one remembers how it started. Everyone follows along.
Strange but True Hockey Facts
Pucks are frozen on purpose so they don’t bounce as much
Players swear certain rinks are “lucky” for reasons no one can explain
Momentum is very real to players, no matter what the stats say
Every player has a lucky item — tape, hoodie, helmet sticker, mouthguard — that cannot be replaced
Junior Hockey Superstitions Parents Know Too Well
This isn’t just a player thing. Parents are in it too.
Kids refuse to change stalls once they score
The “lucky” water bottle becomes off-limits
One kid switches socks and somehow gets blamed for the loss
Parents sit in the same seats every game, and panic if someone else takes them
Hockey superstitions don’t stop at the locker room door.
They extend straight into the stands.
Why Hockey Is Like This
Hockey is unpredictable. The puck bounces funny. The ice changes. One weird deflection can decide an entire game.
So players control what they can like: routines, habits, small rituals that make the chaos feel manageable.
And honestly?
If it helps them feel ready, calm, and confident, who’s going to argue?
Final Thought
Hockey players will trust years of training, countless practices, and endless drills —
but they’ll still blame a loss on a washed jersey.
And somehow, that makes perfect sense.
What’s the ONE hockey superstition you refuse to mess with?