toronto maple leafs kiss fish

Toronto Maple Leafs players kissed a fish during recent trip to Newfoundland

Four Toronto Maple Leafs are now officially Newfoundlanders thanks to undergoing a ritual known as "screeching in," which involves kissing a frozen cod.

Auston Matthews, Frederik Andersen, Tyson Barrie and Morgan Rielly all took part in the ceremony at a bar called Christians on George Street, known for performing it during a visit to Paradise, Newfoundland this past weekend.

The tradition begins by asking those present if they'd like to become Newfoundlanders, who then answer "Yes b'y!" take a shot of Screech (a traditional Newfoundland rum) and kiss a cod fish. Sometimes those getting screeched in stand in buckets of salt water or eat "Newfie steak" (bologna). 

"It was fantastic," Barrie told NHL.com. "It's quite the scene. I (normally) like rum and [the shot] didn't taste good to me, but (the experience) was something else." 

As for kissing the fish? 

"It was disgusting."

Lead photo by

Toronto Maple Leafs


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