The decision came from team leadership in the Penguins' back-to-back titles in 2016-17.

Kraken defenseman Brian Dumoulin, a longtime Penguin, said it was captain and future Hall of Famer Sidney Crosby's call. In 2008, the Penguins didn't touch the Wales Trophy and lost the Final to the Detroit Red Wings. The following year, they came out on top in the East again, threw caution to the wind, enjoyed the trophy and went on to win the ultimate prize.

"For me, personally, I don't think it has anything to do with whether you win or lose. For people who are superstitious like that, it does mean something. I respect that," Dumoulin said.

The Lightning also went ahead and touched it during their run in 2020-21. In 2015, before a Final loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, Lightning captain Steven Stamkos leaned away from the conference trophy. Tampa Bay went back five years later and gave it a pat.

Gourde didn't remember whether it was Stamkos or Lightning coach Jon Cooper who ultimately made the call, but remembers they reasoned: "Hey — we win a trophy, we pick it up."

On that note, hey — we see a logo, we walk around. There's often a big team emblem right in the middle of the locker room carpet, and it's for admiring, not treading. Failure to comply means gentle correction at best, public shaming at worst.

"There's an unwritten rule that you're not bigger than the team and you've got to respect the team logo," Gourde said.

Players are taught this early, but the information isn't exactly posted for drop-ins. It often isn't communicated at all, a true unwritten rule of hockey.

"I've definitely seen a celebrity, a time or two, come into the (Penguins) locker room and step on it," Dumoulin said.

Dumoulin said he didn't yell at the oblivious outsiders, but "you can, and people did."

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