Hi everyone! Happy Civic Holiday long weekend! At least, for those of you living in Canada. I don’t know what goes on in the U.S. the first Monday in August but here in Canada it is time to celebrate! What it is we celebrate, I really have no freakin’ clue. Civic Holiday is one of the weirdest holidays in Canada in that it serves really no purpose other than to give the populace a paid day off between Canada Day and Labour Day. All I know is that I don’t have to work, so I’m happy whatever the reason I’m allowed to sleep in on a Monday. (Who am I kidding, considering my son Emmett is only 3, I’ll be lucky if I’m still in bed past 6:30am.).

The point I’m trying to make is that rituals don’t always make a lot of sense, but in the end, they often make us happy, comforted and/or comfortable. Hockey players’ superstitions make about as much sense as Civic Holiday, as you will read in this week’s new article (thanks again to Pete Manzolillo). This piece comes from 1973-74 (I’m not sure exactly when), so it features little snippets from the lives and careers of Gilles Meloche, Bob Stewart, Gary Croteau, Morris Mott, and Hilliard Graves among others. Some of their superstitions produced (at least that what is believed) some interesting results, while others did absolutely nothing but provide some peace of mind. In either case, the article is an interesting insight into the minds of professional hockey players from a long-ago era.

While you’re here, be sure to check out the latest addition to the Overexposed wing of the Hockey Hall of Shame. This week, we feature one-time San Francisco Seal Doug Favell in what seems to be a very trying moment in his NHL career. You have to see his face to believe me.

Until next time, stay gold!