| Much has been written since Tuesday night when Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby(notes) went against all that the hockey gods teach us and decided to touch the Prince of Wales Trophy, later carrying it off the RBC Center ice.
Crosby's reason for breaking tradition? He left it alone a year ago and things didn't work out quite as planned.
One could say the "to touch/not to touch" debate is all hooey, especially since Detroit Red Wings captain Niklas Lidstrom left the Clarence Campbell Bowl alone after the Western Conference champions advanced to last year's Stanley Cup finals -- and that ended fairly successfully for Detroit.
It's all a matter of superstition, something for which NHL players are famously known.
The Toronto Star's Damian Cox? Not a fan of such superstitions:
Just touch the damn thing and accept it for what it is, an integral part of your journey! For without winning the Prince of Whales or Clarence Campbell trophy, you can't possibly hoist the Stanley Cup over your head!
To hell with superstition is what I say! A Holy Grail was and "NEVER" will be won on superstition! To appreciate each step along the way is as equally important as making it to the summit! These players more than anyone should know that!
You don't just show up at the doors of an NHL team one day! there's a crap load of sacrifice as kids. Parents place summer vacations on the back burner in order that their kids have best opportunity to live their dreams!
There's one hell of a price to pay to make it to the bigs! Funny how so few players want to embrace the efforts of what it took to win the Conference Championship yet remembe the impact that their peewee coach had on their lives! | 
