Some hockey players are so superstitious that even using the word superstitious makes them superstitious.
I’ve asked countless Walleye players over the years about their superstitions and it almost always elicits an uncomfortable chuckle.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a superstition …” the answer almost always begins. “It’s more of a routine.”
Or. “I really don’t have any superstitions … anymore. I used to have all kinds of them in juniors, but not now …”
For many hockey players, certain things have to be done at a certain time, every time. Especially on game days.
“If I forget one, I freak out,” a player once told me. Coffee must be made a certain way. The bike must be pedaled so many times.
But call them habits. Not superstitions.
The same route must be taken to the arena. The pregame meal must always be chicken parm with a side of green beans. Dressing left to right — or right to left — often is a prerequisite.
Naps are notoriously needed — but never more than an hour (that makes you too tired).
It’s a very common phenomenon to see a game of soccer called two touch or sewer ball going on in the halls outside the dressing rooms. Some have to play it. Others have sworn it off. Still others juggle tennis balls — always.
If these patterns are not followed, players are sure certain failure will ensue. No goal will be scored if the right skate is put on before the left. A loss is inevitable if “Africa” by Toto isn’t heard in the dressing room before warmups.
Bob Seger’s “Turn the Page” seemed to be the song of choice for the Walleye players during last season’s playoffs. The page has been turned on that song.
Zach Nastasiuk, who started his career here, said of his routines in 2015: “I have a lot of them and I don’t like it. I’ve got a bunch of things.”
Superstitions aside, goalies are notoriously goofy anyway. Former Toledo netminder Carter Hutton always had to put his equipment on in a certain order. “It was worse when I was younger. I try to tell myself it doesn’t matter. Most guys have ‘em,” he said.
And of course, perhaps the quirkiest of all Walleye players was goalie Jeff Lerg, who would go through a fascinating pattern of activities before and then during games. Lerg would hang from the cross bar, clear the crease with his skates — always in the same order. He’d grab a quick sip of water from the bottle on top of his net, push off the post a certain number of times and grind his skates back and forth. Lerg a little sheepishly called them his “trademarks.”
“I’m very routine oriented,” he said. “I probably have too many superstitions. The fans keep their eye on me.”
Former Walleye defenseman Phil Rauch, a St. Francis de Sales grad, once told me he had to count the number of stars on the American Flag during the National Anthem. “Obviously, I have to have a pregame nap. I could go on and on,” he said.
Walleye Hall of Famer Kyle Rogers wasn’t without his hang-ups. “I have way too many. I’m almost like a goalie,” he said back in 2011.
When former Red Wing forward Andrej Nestrasil was a rookie with Toledo in 2011 he already had his superstitions, but they changed all the time. “When I have a good game I will try to do the same things. But I’m not that superstitious,” he said.
When Toledo’s game up in Kalamazoo went to a shootout last week, associate head coach Andy Delmore admitted he could not watch. Well, he actually watched the first two skaters in the shootout and both failed to score. So when A.J. Jenks was up, Delly knew if he didn’t watch, Jenks would certainly score. Maybe that’s an “instant” superstition. But, hey, it worked. Jenks notched the game-winner.
Most of these superstitions, er um, routines are harmless. Until they’re not. Players must avoid getting too caught up in the process of sticking to these patterns. It can lead to distraction.
One common superstition in hockey is that you never talk about a shutout while it’s going on — much like a no-hitter in baseball.
When goaltender Pat Nagle had a shutout going at the Huntington Center on Saturday night, someone had the nerve to Tweet out that Nagle had a shutout going. OK, it was the Blade’s beat writer. And sure enough mere minutes later Nagle lost the shutout bid. We all know who was going to be pinned with the blame on that one. But that’s more of a jinx than a superstition.
The superstitions even extend to other staff members. Former Walleye PA announcer Bobb Vergiels insisted on taking a 10-minute nap in his car. And upon waking he had to listen to Republica’s “Ready to Go,” at a very high volume before going to work. Current PA announcer Anthony Bellino plays a list of songs on his iPod that is always the same before games.
Former forward Carter Sandlak had a hands-off policy when it came to his tape. “When I’m done taping my shin pad, I don’t like anyone touching the tape afterward,” he said.
Many players say they leave the routines behind when they turn professional because during a 72-game schedule sometimes with four games a week, sticking to specific standards of behavior can become overwhelming.
Longtime forward Kyle Bonis always liked to go somewhere quiet to tape up his stick. Some players must keep their twig in a certain position on the bench.
Current Walleye coach Dan Watson would play cards with former coach Nick Vitucci and would never change up the game if it led to a victory on the ice.
And then there was this from former Walleye Todd Griffith, a.k.a. the stick whisperer: “After the National Anthem is done I give my sticks a pep talk and a kiss. I say, ‘Hey let’s do this.’ If I’m not scoring, I’ll [curse at them]. But they’re like my babies. I tape them up after every period. I take care of them.”
To me, it’s all nonsense.
Knock on wood.
