Wayne Gretzky suggests major change in Conference Cup distribution in lieu of growing belief in 'superstitious' curse
NHL legend Wayne Gretzky recently shared his take on the superstition surrounding the Prince of Wales Trophy. Gretzky suggested a change in the tradition of presenting the trophy to the conference champions after the Stanley Cup Finals.
While discussing the Wales trophy with other Sportsnet panelists, Gretzky said winning or losing is a 50-50 chance. He added that one team had to lose, regardless of whether they touched the trophy or not. The 63-year-old said he understood the Panthers’ hesitation in touching the Conference Cup because they had touched the trophy the previous year and lost in the Stanley Cup Finals.
“Yeah, somebody's gonna lose, right?” Wayne Gretzky said. “Whether you touch it or not, somebody's gonna lose. But, hey, listen, I can understand their [Florida Panthers’] situation because they picked it up last year and they didn't win. So good on them that this year let's try something different.”
Former player Paul Bissonnette then asked whether Gretzky’s team touched the trophy when they won the conference the first time. Gretzky confirmed that they took the trophy and celebrated with it.
“Yeah, but we took it again the next year,” Wayne Gretzky replied.
Bissonnette pointed out that Gretzky’s team lost to the Islanders afterward.
When asked if he was superstitious about the trophy, Wayne Gretzky said no one on his team even considered it because they were so proud of the trophy. He suggested that the league should change the tradition of presenting the Conference Cup.
“What they should do now is don't present that trophy,” Gretsky said. “You get that trophy to the team that wins the Stanley Cup. Present that trophy first, and then the cup. And the other team that loses, just put that trophy in the locker room. There's not a big deal made about it. Because nobody touches it anyway.”
Panthers hold up Conference Cup superstition after last season’s Stanley Cup heartbreak
The Florida Panthers avoided touching the Prince of Wales trophy after beating the New York Rangers in six games to win the Western Conference Finals. Last year, they confidently lifted the Conference trophy, disregarding the superstition that touching it eventually brings bad luck in the Stanley Cup Finals.
While Alexander Barkov’s team was confident about touching it last year, they decided against it in the 2023-24 WCF trophy presentation ceremony.
The stark difference in their handling of the trophy between last year and this year was visible after their conference finals against the Rangers. Earlier last year they lifted the trophy after beating the Carolina Hurricanes but fell to the Vegas Golden Knights in the Stanley Cup Finals.
It will be interesting to see if the NHL will take Wayne Gretzky’s suggestion and bring in a change in the Conference Cup presentation.
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