TBO · Apr 22, 2016
Lightning Slap Shot: Cooper remains clean-cut
Cooper remains clean-cut
TAMPA — It has become the norm throughout the sporting world in recent years, but the tradition of the playoff beard in the NHL began back in the 1980s when a few members of the New York Islanders decided not to shave between games.
According to Hall of Fame defenseman Denis Potvin, the Isles were scheduled to play four games in five nights during a first-round series one year, and several players decided not to shave to avoid feeling the sting that comes when sweat hits open pores.
The success the Islanders had in winning four Stanley Cups from 1980-83 cemented the beard as a playoff tradition.