Why did Florida Panthers not touch Prince of Wales trophy after becoming East champions?

The Florida Panthers secured the Eastern Conference championship for the third consecutive year after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 5 on Wednesday.

The Eastern Conference champion is awarded the Prince of Wales Trophy, a significant milestone on the path to the Stanley Cup.

However, the trophy is often associated with a superstition in the NHL, where some players and teams believe that touching it after winning the conference title may curse their chances of winning the Stanley Cup.

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As a result, the Florida Panthers players chose not to touch the Prince of Wales Trophy for the second straight year, opting instead to pose near it or avoid direct contact altogether.

Also Read: Why is touching Prince of Wales Trophy considered a curse? Explaining reason behind long-standing NHL superstition

About the author

Abhishek is an NHL writer at Sportskeeda with over 2 years of sports reporting experience and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Delhi. He became a fan of ice hockey after watching NHL fight videos on YouTube, which led to him professionally writing about the sport and his continued interest in all things hockey.

A fan of the Boston Bruins, Abhishek considers their incredible comeback win against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2013 playoffs as the most iconic moment in the NHL. His admiration for the six-time Stanley Cup winners also comes from the team’s storied history, distinctive black and gold uniform and their success in the sport. His all-time favorite NHL players are Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, for their ability to perform at the highest level consistently.

Abhishek ensures his reporting is fair and balanced by being well-researched in his details, which he expects to be relevant, up-to-date and in line with ethical standards. His specialties are doing detailed match analysis and covering fan reactions.

Abhishek enjoys music, traveling and going on walks with his three German Shepherds in his free time, along with learning about horticulture.

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Edited by Abhishek Dilta