The playoff handshake line is a long-standing tradition in the NHL, a symbol of sportsmanship that occurs after every playoff series. Following a grueling series, players and coaches line up to shake hands with their opponents, putting aside the animosity of the game to show respect. While the tradition is primarily associated with players, the involvement of coaches has become increasingly common over the past 15 years.
The exact origin of the handshake line is not definitively known, but it can be traced back over a century. Hockey historian Liam Maguire found a newspaper clipping from 1908 that depicted teams shaking hands after an All-Star game in the Eastern Canada Amateur Hockey Association (ECAHA). The game was a benefit for the widow of Hod Stuart, a Montreal Wanderers player who died in a diving accident. While this may not be the first instance, it is the earliest documented example of the tradition. By the 1920s, the handshake line had become a regular custom in hockey.
While it is difficult to pinpoint when coaches began participating, the earliest sighting of a coach in the handshake line was in the 1991 Stanley Cup Playoffs, when the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Minnesota Wild. The Penguins' coaching staff joined their players in the line after the final buzzer. However, with limited footage from past broadcasts, it is likely that coaches participated before then. In the 2007 Playoffs, only three of 16 coaches were seen shaking hands after their first-round series. By 2024 and 2025, however, all 16 coaches participated in the handshake line after the first round.
Recently, the participation of coaches in the handshake line has become a topic of debate. Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice has been vocal about his belief that the tradition should be reserved for the players. He argues that the players are the ones who "win, lose, suffer, go through the pain, fight for their teammates, take hits, do the real work". Maurice jokingly described the role of coaches as simply drinking coffee and swearing. In 2021, as coach of the Winnipeg Jets, he skipped the handshake line after a loss to the Montreal Canadiens but also after a series win against the Edmonton Oilers. After the Panthers' series win against the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2025 Eastern Conference Final, Maurice asked Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour to also skip the handshake line, a request Brind'Amour initially honored but later regretted, stating he should have joined the line to show respect.
Despite Maurice's sentiment, there is a strong case for coaches participating in the handshake line. Coaches invest significant mental and emotional energy into their teams and deserve to be recognized for their leadership. The mental warfare that coaches endure during a playoff series is often overlooked. They play a crucial role in preparing their teams and making in-game adjustments. For many, the handshake line is about showing respect. As Brind'Amour stated, "It's about showing respect. It has nothing to do with anything... It's just full respect. That's it".
Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to participate in the handshake line is a personal one. While some, like Maurice, believe it should be exclusively for the players, others view it as an opportunity for coaches to demonstrate sportsmanship and acknowledge the hard-fought battle. Regardless of their involvement, the handshake line remains a powerful symbol of respect and a testament to the unique culture of hockey.
