Vegas Golden Knights: ‘Band Of Brothers’

There certainly is something special about the way in which the Vegas Golden Knights went about winning the Stanley Cup this season. They seem to be a Band of Brothers, to borrow a book and television mini-series title.

Listen to interviews with the Vegas Golden Knights players from the start of the season. Then, listen to their interviews through the playoffs. After that, check out their interviews following their amazing Stanley Cup victory.

There is a common theme when they talk about their fellow players. You’ll hear quotes such as: “It’s fun coming to work and being with 25 of my best friends.” “We have so much fun kidding around with each other in the locker room.” “To win the Stanley Cup with so many great friends is incredible.”

They don’t brag about themselves. Unless asked, they don’t brag about their fellow players. It’s always about the team. Their friends in the locker room. Their good buddies.

The Golden Knights players are always pointing out how much fun they have with their friends this season. That is a rare thing in the world of sports nowadays. I don’t want to sound too cynical, but you tend to hear professional athletes talk about themselves in interviews. It’s rarely about the team or other players.

This all reminds me of that great HBO mini-series, Band of Brothers. Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks executive-produced it. The series was based on a book of the same name by Stephen E. Ambrose. You can read more about the mini-series on Wikipedia.org.

It’s based on the true history of a company of men who fought in World War II. The series follows “Easy Company” from boot camp, right through D-Day and the conquest of Hitler’s troops throughout Europe.

You watch these men go from raw recruits to become a “band of brothers.” They went through dangerous battles together. Many died. What they went through created incredible bonds between those who survived.

Now, although hockey can be a violent sport, I am in no way comparing the game of hockey to putting one’s life on the line in war. All that I am trying to point out is that the friendships created among the Vegas Golden Knights' players this season are something special. They have all committed to achieving a very specific goal. They accomplished that goal.

And they did it as friends.

I have weird hockey superstitions about where I watch the Vegas Golden Knights. Last Saturday afternoon, my wife and I were looking for a local tavern that might have an open table. We wanted to grab some dinner, drinks, and watch game 2 of the Stanley Cup Finals.

The first place we stopped at was packed. No open tables. So, we were trying to decide where to go next. She mentioned a nearby tavern, but I nixed it. Why? Well, I told her every time we go there, the Golden Knights lose.

I know, ridiculous, right? After all, how can something like where we watch the VGK on television affect the outcome of an NHL game? I guess that’s why they call it a silly superstition. There’s no common sense involved.

Hockey players are notorious for being superstitious. Many have rituals such as putting on their equipment in a certain order. I don’t know if that is just a learned routine, or if it is a superstition. But, when I play hockey, I always put on my left skate, then my right skate, then my left shin pad, then my right shin pad, and so on.

If I don’t put on my equipment in that order, I just don’t feel right during the game for some reason.

I found an article on TheHockeyWriters.com which details wacky and weird hockey player superstitions by some of the game’s greatest. Greg Boysen’s article describes  the pre-game ritual of one of the game’s great goalies. Glenn Hall used to force himself to throw up before every game. Evidently, it calmed his nerves.

Another Hall of Fame goaltender would threaten any player who touched his goalie equipment. We’re talking about threatening his own teammates! What is it about goalies? Netminder Jocelyn Thibault used to pour water over his head exactly six-and-a-half minutes before every game.

Boysen’s article on TheHockeyWriters.com has plenty more wacky and weird hockey superstitions. Scroll down to see five great ones.

"The Great One," Wayne Gretzky, would powder the blade of his hockey sticks with baby powder before each game. Some of his other superstitions include never getting his hair cut while on a road trip. In warm-ups, he would purposely miss his first shot wide to the right of the goal. Then, after warm-ups, he would always take drinks in this specific order: Diet Coke, water, Gatorade, and then he'd throw back another Diet Coke.

This four-time Stanley Cup-winning goalie used to talk to his goal posts. Yup. Apparently, Roy felt that conversing with these inanimate objects would improve his play. And, the goal posts would be more apt to be on his side. Hard to argue with a Hall of Fame goalie.

This NHL Hall of Fame forward is now the President of the Toronto Maple Leafs franchise. Back during his professional career, he always wore the shoulder pads from his junior hockey days. He also made sure he listened to at least one Madonna song before each game. I guess he had to get "Into The Groove."

Here's another hockey Hall of Fame forward who had a weird hockey superstition. Before each game, Nieuwendyk ate two pieces of toast topped with peanut butter. Not one. Not three. Two. I wonder if he ate toast topped with jelly or jam after the game.

One of the most heralded draft prospects in NHL history, "The Next One" (in reference to being the next greatest player to Wayne Gretzky), or "Sid The Kid," is no longer a kid. He's 35-years-old now. He is a gentlemanly player, but if you touch his hockey sticks after he has taped them up before a game, he's not going to be happy. In fact, he will take all of the tape off of the stick you touched, and re-tape it. He also has a superstition of NOT calling his Mom on game days.

Larry Martino is the long-time afternoon drive personality on 96.3 KKLZ. The views and opinions expressed in this blog are those of Larry Martino and not necessarily those of Beasley Media Group, LLC.

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