Oilers Fans Went Haywire After Connor McDavid Touched Clarence Campbell Bowl

McDavid justified his bold decision in a postgame press conference.

NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly and Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid (97) pose with the trophy after winning the Western Conference Final of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at American Airlines Center. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Every sport has its superstitions. In hockey, there's arguably a golden one that reigns above the rest: don't touch the conference championship trophy.

Connor McDavid totally bucked that long-followed rule on Thursday night after his Edmonton Oilers defeated the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference finals series to advance to their second straight Stanley Cup Final.

Following the Oilers' 6-3 win on the road, McDavid was seen going up to the Clarence Campbell Bowl and putting his bare hands on it. Here's a picture of him doing so while staring shamelessly into the camera:

Connor McDavid touches the Clarence S. Campbell Bowl 👀🏆 pic.twitter.com/tke23Lj5BQ

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 30, 2025

Over in Rogers Place, the Oilers' home rink, fans went haywire watching McDavid potentially jinx their chances to win their first Stanley Cup since 1990:

Live Rogers reaction to Connor Mcdavid touching the cup pic.twitter.com/V6OKATYBgW

— maggie (@MaggieBodnar_) May 30, 2025

McDavid gave a simple justification for his actions in a postgame press conference.

"Don't touch it last year, we don't win. Touch it this year, hopefully we win," McDavid said.

The Oilers captain is referring to last year's Western Conference finals victory, when he and the rest of the team notably shunned the trophy before their Cup Final against the Florida Panthers—they ended up losing the series, 4-3.

With a historic rematch in the cards this year, McDavid doesn't sound afraid to toy with the hockey gods. Plus, he makes a fair point. Maybe some superstitions were meant to be broken.

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