Hockey is a game full of weird traditions.
For starters, it’s played on ice, which already separates it from most sports out there. But there are certain routines which players go through before a game that are in so many ways unique to other sports. Below, we listed four unnecessary traditions in the game that most hockey players can relate to.
The Unnecessary pre-game tape job
Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post via Getty Images
Okay, so some players actually need to tape their stick before every game from cradling the puck too much in their last contest (you know who you are). But most ordinary skaters consume way too much of it for no reason. For some, a small rip on the blade or puck mark can prompt them to give their stick a makeover. Others simply use it as a way to unwind and have some alone time before a game. Regardless, players use way too much of the product and the action of rolling it goes beyond hockey for most.
“Hey, anyone have any clear?” Wrapping shin pads with way too much clear tape, and then collecting it
Unlike a regular tape, clear isn’t for everyone. In fact, some players probably find it flat out uncomfortable. But there’s just something about wrapping a fresh roll around a shin pad that gets some skaters going. Sure, it helps keep padding in place. But couldn’t a player just buy gear that fits properly? Or use far less when applying it? From the sound of it wrapping over equipment to it ripping off the roll, clear tape just holds a special place in some players’ hearts. Asking a teammate if they “got any clear” is just a part of hockey culture.
Having a beuaty teammate who collects the adhesive is also pretty great, too.
The Wrap-around skate lace
Most players choose to use a skate lace which fits their boot properly, but you can still find the occasional competitor who uses one that’s too long so they can wrap it around their ankle. It probably has a negative impact on the way someone crosses over on the ice, but the action of doing it is so unique to hockey. In what other sport will you find an athlete with his laces wrapped around his/her leg?
Not many.
The last bar-down shot in warmup
This one isn’t for everyone, but there are definitely some players out there who need to go bar down with their last shot in the pre-game skate. Without doing so, a skater can completely be thrown off his/her game. Call it a superstition, but it’s definitely a relatively minor tradition that skaters can relate to.
We know there are a ton of unnecessary traditions out there, so let us know what some of yours are @BarDown!
