If you've ever listened to the radio, or you've stumbled across a Kansas City Chiefs broadcast over the last several years, you're probably aware of who Taylor Swift is. The 14-time Grammy winner is one of the most recognizable faces in the world. Even if you aren't a big fan of her music, you can immediately pick her out of a lineup.
Additionally, if you ever turned on a Hurricanes game from 2010 to 2018, you've probably seen Jeff Skinner play a game or two. The 2011 Calder Trophy winner and former first-round pick was positioned to be one of the faces of the franchise after starting his career with a bang. While that changed over time, there's no denying that he was one of the most exciting players on the roster.
What in the world might these two people have in common? Outside of Skinner being a Swiftie, they were both at PNC Arena on September 13, 2013. Swift was working, while Skinner was watching from the crowd. By itself, this doesn't seem like a big deal, but in more ways than one, this would be an unforgettable night for Skinner.
It's not uncommon for players in any sport to attend concerts at their home barns, arenas, or stadiums, and this was no different. Skinner, representing the Hurricanes, presented Swift with a signed jersey after the show and snapped a picture that has long lived on the internet. If a picture is worth a thousand words, Skinner's retelling of how this all came together is worth a million.
Growing the game.... One person at a time. pic.twitter.com/JrlENzv4eU
— Jeff Skinner (@JeffSkinner) September 16, 2013
A massive miscommunication and a possible curse?
On the What Chaos! podcast in 2023, Skinner, by then a member of the Buffalo Sabres, recalled the night that he met Swift and gave her his jersey. He waited in line, sticking out like a sore thumb amongst the gaggle of young fans before finally getting to the front of the line. He'd already signed the jersey, and when he gave it to her, she asked Skinner if he wanted her to sign it for him.
Now, I know that if I were in that situation, I would have no clue how to respond to that. Obviously, Swift had no clue who Skinner was, which is kind of insulting. He was a Calder Trophy winner after all. However, the 21-year-old seemed to take it in stride, explaining that he'd signed it for her before the picture was taken. He played it off for a laugh, and it makes the picture that much funnier.
There's something supposedly a little more sinister underneath it all. Known as the Taylor Swift Curse, it is believed that the pop star wearing your team's sweater or promoting your team is actually bad luck. Both Pittsburgh and Nashville fell victim, and fan complaints in Los Angeles forced the Kings to remove a banner honoring her in 2020, fearing they'd been cursed with a long series victory drought.
If the curse is real, it played the long game with Skinner's career. While he set a personal best with 31 goals in 2013-14, his time with the Canes faced many peaks and valleys before being traded to Buffalo. It took him over 1,000 games to finally make the playoffs, doing so with the Edmonton Oilers in 2025.
Mentions of Skinner's photo op with Swift resurfaced when she attended Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final in Sunrise last June, almost 12 years after their initial encounter. Watching alongside now-husband Travis Kelce, there's no doubt that Swift had zero recollection of this happening, but it didn't stop the internet from having a little fun with it.
Curse or no curse, this remains one of my favorite pieces of Hurricanes lore. What was a seemingly normal picture was actually a huge miscommunication, but Skinner handled it like the pro that he is. If the Canes were still dealing with the repercussions from the curse, they're surely gone by now. This team has experienced a level of success that could easily parallel Swift's at this point.
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