![]() ![]() In the 2006 Stanley Cup playoffs, during the opening-round series between the Wings and the Edmonton Oilers, an Edmonton radio host suggested throwing Alberta Beef on the ice before the game. It was done in response to the Red Wings' tradition. The first recorded instance occurred on Januduring a game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Nashville Predators. Nashville Predators fans throw catfish onto their home ice. The octopus tradition has launched several other creature and object tossing moments:ĭuring Game 3 of the 1995 Stanley Cup Finals between the Detroit Red Wings and the New Jersey Devils, Devils fans threw a lobster, a dead fish, and other objects onto the ice. Īt the final game at Joe Louis Arena, 35 octopuses were thrown onto the ice. The practice has become such an accepted part of the team's lore, fans have developed various techniques and "octopus etiquette" for launching the creatures onto the ice. The Red Wings' unofficial mascot is a purple octopus named Al, and during playoff runs, two of these mascots were also hung from the rafters of Joe Louis Arena, symbolizing the 16 wins now needed to take home the Stanley Cup. In one 1995 game, fans threw 36 octopuses, including a specimen weighing 38 pounds (17 kg). ![]() Since 1952, the practice has persisted with each passing year. The team swept the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens en route to winning the championship. The practice started April 15, 1952, when Pete and Jerry Cusimano, brothers and storeowners in Detroit's Eastern Market, hurled an octopus into the rink of Olympia Stadium. Having eight arms, the octopus symbolized the number of playoff wins necessary for the Red Wings to win the Stanley Cup. ![]() The origins of the activity go back to the 1952 playoffs, when a National Hockey League team played two best-of-seven series to capture the Stanley Cup. The Legend of the Octopus is a sports tradition during Detroit Red Wings home playoff games involving dead octopuses thrown onto the ice rink. ![]()
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