Hurricanes, Golden Knights Shun 2 Conference Trophies Before Stanley Cup Final

8 articles · Updated · Fox News · May 30

Tuesday's Stanley Cup Final in Raleigh will feature Carolina and Vegas after both teams declined to touch their conference championship trophies following clinching wins.
The move follows a long-running NHL superstition that the Prince of Wales Trophy and Clarence S. Campbell Bowl should be left alone because the Stanley Cup is the only prize that matters.
Vegas captain Mark Stone repeated his 2023 approach by avoiding the Campbell Bowl; the Golden Knights won the Cup that year, while the 2018 team touched the trophy and later lost the Final.
Carolina has the same 1-1 history: Ron Francis touched the Prince of Wales Trophy before a 2002 Final loss, while Rod Brind'Amour left it untouched in 2006 before the franchise's lone Cup title.
Because both finalists followed the same ritual this time, one team will leave the superstition looking unreliable when the series ends.

One team's Stanley Cup superstition is guaranteed to fail. Which team's belief will be shattered?

Is hockey's biggest superstition a powerful mind game or just a statistical coincidence?