Hockey players are a superstitious bunch, and who can blame them? With playoff beards sprouting like playoff dreams and players dodging conference trophies to avoid a Stanley Cup jinx, the NHL postseason is a breeding ground for quirky rituals. Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander took it to another level with his pre-game fashion choice—until a string of losses to the Florida Panthers forced a change.
Since the Leafs’ series-clinching Game 6 win over the Ottawa Senators on May 1, Nylander had been rocking the same chestnut brown double-breasted suit, crisp white dress shirt, silver chain, and suede Adidas kicks for every game. Why mess with a good thing? In that very Game 6, he delivered two goals and an assist, powering Toronto to victory. The suit seemed to carry some magic, as Nylander opened the second-round series against the Panthers with another two-goal performance in Game 1, followed by a goal in Game 2 to tie the score 2-2. Sportsnet cameras caught him strutting into arenas looking sharp, game after game, in that same beige ensemble. Fans ate it up, and the suit became a mini-legend.
The ritual paid off—Nylander’s stat line was sparkling, with two goals, an assist, and a team win in both Game 6 and Game 1, plus that clutch Game 2 tally. But hockey’s a cruel game, and Toronto’s luck soured with consecutive losses to the Panthers. On Friday, the Leafs couldn’t catch a break, and Nylander’s trusty suit streak came to an end. Sportsnet broke the news with a playful tweet: “BREAKING NEWS: William Nylander is wearing a different suit for the first time since Game 6 against the Senators .”
BREAKING NEWS: William Nylander is wearing a different suit for the first time since Game 6 against the Senators pic.twitter.com/ig2bpsluYW
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 14, 2025
(The story is developing…)
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