Blame it on sports psychology: Today's pro athlete maintains a relentless focus on the moment; messy concepts like fate or kismet are to be banished from thought.
For example, if you were to ask Montreal Canadiens forward Brendan Gallagher whether he puts any stock into omens he will answer, "Not really, no."
That's a shame, because sometimes the stars look suspiciously as if they might be aligning as Montreal kicks off its first-round playoff series with the streaking Ottawa Senators.
Take the Habs' 7-1 start to the 2014-15 season, their best since 1976-77. What happened that year? A parade down Rue Ste-Catherine, that's what.
When the club ran its record after 21 games to 15-5-1, it was the best they'd done since 1959-60. Another Stanley Cup season, by the way.
This season Carey Price became the first Canadiens goalie to win 42 games since Ken Dryden (in 1976-77) and Jacques Plante (1955-56, 1961-62). True, Plante's second 42-win season ended in a playoff upset, but history shows that Habs goalies with 42 victories go on to win the Cup 66.6 per cent of the time – and shush with your talk of small sample sizes.
When Price beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in the season finale, the Habs hit the 50-win barrier for the first time since 1988-89, when they reached the Cup final (ultimately losing to Lanny McDonald's Calgary Flames).
"Okay, now I believe," said Gallagher, grinning. He was, of course, joking.
"One of the first things I learned here is you can't look too far ahead," the 22-year-old said. "It's cool to think about and it's cool to look at, but you have to try and stay in the moment and block out all the distractions and stuff like that."
It's a sensible and logical approach, but surely there's more fun to be had considering the celestial signs. Foreshadowing makes the world go round: Why couldn't Price be a latter-day Patrick Roy and haul his team to the championship?
It's possible to cherry-pick statistical indicators that suggest the Habs could be serious contenders (their scoring differential at five-on-five is among the league's best), and others that point to a swift playoff exit (crummy possession numbers).
For the fairy-tale narrative to play out, Montreal will need major contributions from its superstar goalie, its top defenceman (P.K. Subban) and its big left-winger (Max Pacioretty, whose injury status leaves his availability in doubt for the series opener on Wednesday).
But recent experience also shows that playoff series can sometimes be decided by the comparative performances of third-liners and second-pair defencemen.
For the Canadiens, it may well be that midseason acquisitions Devante Smith-Pelly and Jeff Petry will play key if not decisive roles. Smith-Pelly is just the sort of beefy, antagonistic forward the Habs lacked when the teams last faced each other in the postseason. Petry has given a more mobile look to the Habs' defence – as it happens, that's exactly why he was brought in.
The former Edmonton blueliner closed the regular season with points in six straight games, and his ability to join the rush means Ottawa defenders will have more to worry about than Subban.
"It's something the coaches were stressing, they want our D to get up and be the fourth man in the attack. Whether you get the puck or not isn't really important," said Petry. "It backs the other team up, with the forwards we have and the skill up front. It's just going to create more space."
Knowing precisely what was expected of him when he came in has helped the adapting, Petry said.
Smith-Pelly echoed that remark. "Everyone knows their exact roles and the coaching staff is quite vocal if guys aren't filling their specific role," he said.
Wednesday's curtain-raiser at the Bell Centre will be both players' playoff baptism.
The details of the Habs' pregame extravaganza are a closely-guarded secret, but multiple reports indicate Ginette Reno will once again be on hand to belt out the national anthem – as she did to goosebump-inducing effect last season.
"The Bell Centre come playoff time is an unbelievable atmosphere, I don't think there's anything else like it," Gallagher said.
He recalled the moment in last season's first round against Tampa Bay when former teammate Rene Bourque latched on to a Subban lob and scored 11 seconds into Game 3.
"I've never heard anything that loud – we were screaming at each other from just a couple of feet away, and you still couldn't hear. That's just something that sticks with you," Gallagher said.
There will be boundless excitement at the Bell Centre on Wednesday.
It's spring, there's playoff hockey, and even if you're not given to premonitions and auguries, anything is possible.