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."
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