The Power of Colour

Which variable will have the biggest role in determining who wins the 2009 NHL Stanley Cup?

Goaltending
Veteran leadership
Momentum entering the playoffs
Defense
Offense
Coaching
Power play
Penalty kill
Depth
Toughness
Luck
Jersey colour

The last one was thrown in there as a joke right? Nope. Believe it or not many scholarly peer reviewed studies from sources such as the Journal of Sports Sciences and Nature have indisputably revealed the power of the colour red. How does this relate to NHL hockey? Well, in the past 6 years, every single Stanley Cup final has featured a team that wore red.

2008 – Detroit Red Wings (red) beat the Pittsburg Penguins
2007 – Anaheim Ducks beat the Ottawa Senators (red)
2006 – Carolina Hurricanes (red) beat the Edmonton Oilers
2005 – Lockout
2004 – Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Calgary Flames (red)
2003 – New Jersey Devils (red) beat the Anaheim Ducks
2002 – Detroit Red Wings (red) beat the Carolina Hurricanes (red)

Considering only 9 of the league’s 30 teams have primarily red get-up, this is astounding. And until just a couple years ago, there were only 8 as the Washington Capitals switched from blue & gold to red & blue.

I’ll let the following articles strengthen the argument so check them out and prepare to be flabbergasted…

“Red shirt colour is associated with long-term team success in English football”
(Read the abstract and discussion sections)

“Red enhances human performance in contests”
(Just one page so read it all)

FYI - Of the 16 teams currently in the playoffs, 7 rock jerseys that are primarily red: Detroit, Washington, Carolina, New Jersey, Calgary, Chicago and Montreal. While the findings in the studies will obviously not always ring true, place your bet on red if you have nothing else to base your decision upon. Apparently the odds will be in your favour!