After winning the Western Conference Final last night, the Edmonton Oilers made a notable choice: they touched the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl. For many hockey fans, this decision is more than just symbolic, it stirs up age-old NHL superstitions. The superstition goes like this: if a team touches the conference trophy, they won’t win the Stanley Cup. It's not rooted in logic or analytics, but in lore and tradition.
Interestingly, this year’s decision marks a change in approach for the Oilers. In 2024, after defeating the Dallas Stars to advance to the Stanley Cup Final, the team refrained from touching the Campbell Bowl. That decision, however, didn’t lead them to the promised land. They went on to lose in the final series. This year after once again beating the Stars, with the same stakes on the line and perhaps a different mindset, they decided to break with their own past and embrace the moment, literally.
Leon Draisaitl, Connor McDavid, and the rest of the core group appeared relaxed and joyful in the trophy presentation. They posed with the Campbell Bowl, and actually touched it this year. Some might say this signals a shift in attitude, a sign of confidence rather than caution.
But does any of this actually matter?
From a purely rational perspective, the answer is no. What happens off the ice, particularly when it comes to rituals or superstitions, doesn’t influence how players perform during the game. The outcome of a playoff series is determined by skill, execution, coaching decisions, and sometimes, a bit of luck. No amount of not-touching or touching a trophy will block a slapshot or convert a power play.
Still, for the more superstitious fans, the move will be debated. There’s a long list of examples on both sides: teams that touched the trophy and lost, and teams that touched it and went on to win. Sidney Crosby famously avoided the Prince of Wales Trophy in 2008 and lost the final, then touched it in 2009 and won the Cup. So even that tradition isn't set in stone.
Whether you're a firm believer in hockey rituals or see them as fan-fueled myths, the truth remains: the Oilers are four wins away from bringing the Stanley Cup back to Edmonton. And touching the Campbell Bowl? It probably won’t make a difference. But it sure adds another layer of intrigue to what’s shaping up to be a historic Cup Final.