Brad Marchand has a new pre-game superstition in Florida

Everyone knows about hockey players’ superstitions. Now, it’s been revealed exactly what Brad Marchand is doing during this year’s playoffs—and it just goes to show how unique NHL players really are.

Whether it’s small things in the locker room before and after games, or bigger rituals like always arriving at the rink at the exact same time or never changing your gear because of a special win years ago, hockey players are easily among the most superstitious athletes in the world.

You rarely see the same kind of habits in other leagues, and sometimes, routines just develop out of a player’s gut feeling. Sidney Crosby is famously one of the most superstitious players in the league. For example, he used to eat the same peanut butter sandwich at 5:00 PM before every game—and he also wore an old, vintage jockstrap because… well, who really knows?

Brad Marchand’s pre-game superstition

But Sid the Kid isn’t the only one with quirks. Apparently, Brad Marchand has something up his sleeve in this year’s playoffs as well. Looking to help the Florida Panthers win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships, Marchand has played a key role in their deep run. They did, however, need seven games to eliminate the Toronto Maple Leafs—and before that deciding game, Marchand was spotted wearing a navy-blue suit with matching pants.

Now, a viral post on social media claims that Marchand has worn the exact same suit before every game in the series against the Carolina Hurricanes. And according to some comments, it appears his teammate Aaron Ekblad has joined in—wearing a nearly identical suit himself.

The Florida Panthers had the chance to sweep the Hurricanes on Monday, but they were shut out in a 3–0 loss. Now, the question is—will Marchand stick with the same suit for Game 5, or is the ritual over this time?

READ MORE: Paul Bissonnette’s unexpected take on the Maple Leafs core four