Superstition and hope for the Stanley Cup

The Vegas Golden Knights continue to rely on tried-and-tested rituals. After their 2-1 victory against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals on Tuesday night, the players accepted the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl – but did not touch the trophy.

27 May 2026

By: nhl/sn

NHL Vice Commissioner Bill Daly presented the trophy to captain Mark Stone after the game at T-Mobile Arena. As he did after winning the conference title in 2023, Stone declined to touch the trophy. Instead, the team simply posed for photos together.

Superstition has a long tradition in Las Vegas – and from the Golden Knights' perspective, it has also brought them success. Back in the 2022/23 season, the team refrained from the symbolic touch and subsequently won the Stanley Cup by defeating the Florida Panthers in the final. The situation was different in 2018: That year, the Golden Knights touched the Campbell Bowl during their first-ever Stanley Cup Final appearance and later lost to the Washington Capitals.

The NHL has been plagued by a "trophy curse" for years.

The discussion surrounding the so-called "trophy curse" has plagued the NHL for years. Indeed, since the 2006-07 season, only a few teams have actually touched the Campbell Bowl. These include the Edmonton Oilers last year, who later lost the Stanley Cup Final, and the Avalanche, who won the title in 2022 despite touching it.

The Golden Knights dream of the Stanley Cup. © APA / ETHAN MILLER

However, no clear rule can be derived from this: Of the teams that did not touch the trophy in the past 19 seasons, nine subsequently won the Stanley Cup.

Now the Golden Knights' sights are set on the ultimate goal. In the Stanley Cup Final, they will face either the Carolina Hurricanes or the Montreal Canadiens. The Hurricanes currently lead the Eastern Conference Final series 2-1. Vegas remains hopeful that their tried-and-true ritual will once again pave the way to the title.

Keywords hockey NHL Vegas Golden Knights