Man sneaks10 pound-octopus through security and throws it onto ice rink after NHL victory (2024)

A young Red Wings fan revived the banned tradition of the 'octopus toss' that began in 1952 when the Detroit team won the NHL Finals with an unblemished 8-0 record (between the semi-final series against Toronto and the Stanley Cup Final against Montreal). Each tentacle of the animal represented one of the eight victories needed to be crowned 'world champion'.

During the following years, the so-called 'Legend of the Octopus' was a tradition at Olympia Stadium during the Michigan State team's playoff games, but the decline in the franchise's performance between the 1960s and 1980s caused it to fade into oblivion.

The triumphant streak of the Red Wings in the 90's, with three Conference titles and two Stanley Cups brought back the octopus toss, but protests from animal rights groups, such as PETA, caused the tradition to be banned and some pitchers were arrested.

However, both in the nineties and in the new millennium, several fans have continued to sneak octopuses into the pavilion and throw them on the ice to the delight of the stands, as did this past Friday a tiktoker named @kameronmio.

The immediacy of the viral, however, has meant that instead of waiting for the post-season, the 'custom' of celebrating the first home goal of each season with the octopus launch has been brought forward.

This peculiar ritual reached its peak in 2017, with the team's last game at Joe Louis Arena (home of the Red Wings since 1979). That day, up to 35 cephalopods were thrown in a celebration that caused a lot of commotion among the animal rights community due to the permissiveness of the franchise, with fines of $5,000 being requested for all those responsible for the hooking.

Man sneaks10 pound-octopus through security and throws it onto ice rink after NHL victory (2024)

FAQs

Why did a guy throw an octopus on the ice? ›

“The origin of the world-famous Detroit octopus throw is traced to 1952 when, during the third game of the final series against the Montreal Canadiens, Pete Cusimano, an east side fish market owner, celebrated the first Red Wing goal by throwing an octopus onto the ice,” the 1984 article read.

What NHL team throws squid on the ice? ›

The "Legend of the Octopus" in the NHL is a tradition in which Detroit Red Wings fans throw dead octopuses on the rink.

What city throws octopus on ice? ›

The Legend of the Octopus is a sports tradition during Detroit Red Wings home playoff games involving dead octopuses thrown onto the ice rink. 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.

What does an octopus on a hockey rink mean? ›

This Legend of the Octopus tradition, started on April 15, 1952, when two brothers, Pete and Jerry Cusimano, who owned a fish market, decided to throw an octopus onto the ice at Olympia Stadium, with the eight tentacles of the octopus symbolizing the eight wins it took to win the Stanley Cup at the time.

Do they throw real octopus on the ice? ›

At a Detroit Red Wings hockey game not too long ago, the body of a deceased octopus was callously thrown onto the ice rink. Shockingly, this is a fairly common practice and usually dead but sometimes alive animals ranging from chickens and ducks to squid and catfish have been thrown out into the middle of hockey games.

Can an octopus hurt a person? ›

All octopuses have venom, but few are fatally dangerous. The greater blue-ringed octopus, however, is considered to be one of the most venomous animals known; the venom of one is enough to kill ten adult humans. It uses the neurotoxin tetrodotoxin, which quickly causes respiratory arrest.

What do Kraken fans throw on the ice? ›

If you're a Kraken fan, you know that when the team wins on home ice, the three stars of the game toss a stuffed salmon into the stands; and you also know this tradition has come to lovingly be called “yeeting the fish.” But fans are about to learn something new: the 2023-24 season brings a new species of salmon to ...

What does a squid mean in hockey? ›

Why do they throw squid on the ice during a hockey game? It is actually an octopus. Throwing an octopus on the ice was a tradition in Detroit, done by Red Wings fans. The octopus, with its eight legs, signified, at one time, the eight playoff wins necessary for a team to win the Stanley Cup.

Why do they throw fish on the ice at hockey games? ›

The fish was used to resemble the visiting team, "fishing the puck out of the net." Former coach Dick Umile also got involved in the tradition in the early 1990's. At that time, the home team received a penalty if fans threw objects on the ice.

What NHL team throws catfish on the ice? ›

According to The Tennessean, Nashville Predators fans first began throwing catfish onto the ice in response to Detroit Red Wings fans tossing octopi on the ice. Why octopi? In 1952, eight postseason games were needed to win the Stanley Cup — now, 16 postseason wins are required.

Where do octopus spit ink? ›

The ink gland releases its secretion into the ink sac lumen, where it is stored and eventually released via a duct into the hindgut near the anus. The release of ink from the ink sac is controlled by its muscular walls and a pair of sphincters.

What place has the most octopus? ›

Off the coast of California is an unusual “octopus garden” — the largest congregation of deep-sea octopuses ever discovered on Earth, where over 6,000 huddle around an extinct underwater volcano in the black, cold ocean depths, almost two miles below the surface.

What does pizza mean in hockey? ›

Pizza (serving up a pizza)‐ a turnover in the middle of the ice that provides the other team with a fantastic scoring chance. Pylon‐ an extremely slow player. Typically a player who gets turnstiled frequently.

What is a bunny in hockey? ›

puck bunny (plural puck bunnies) (slang, ice hockey) A female ice hockey fan, often one whose interest in the sport is primarily motivated by attraction to the players rather than enjoyment of the game itself. Puck bunnies exhibit similar traits to those of groupies toward musicians.

Why do Detroit fans throw octopus? ›

The tradition originated in 1952 when two brothers, Pete and Jerry Cusimano, store owners in Detroit's Eastern Market, decided to toss an octopus onto the ice at Olympia Stadium. The significance behind this was that each of the eight tentacles represented a victory required to win the Stanley Cup during that era.

Why do people hit octopus? ›

Octopuses are not just good food for ocean predators wily enough to catch one, but when prepared correctly are delicious food for people, too.

Why is eating octopus controversial? ›

Added to this is the serious moral issue of confining sentient creatures to industrial food systems. Researchers have suggested that, as particularly intelligent and playful creatures, octopuses are unsuited to a life in captivity and mass-production.

What does the octopus mean in cartoons? ›

The octopus has long been a useful symbol for cartoon- ists. Its tentacles make a convenient metaphor for a grasping, threatening, strangling force. In Keppler's 1904 drawing, the Standard Oil monopoly ensnares other industries as well as our political leadership.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Zonia Mosciski DO

Last Updated:

Views: 6487

Rating: 4 / 5 (71 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Zonia Mosciski DO

Birthday: 1996-05-16

Address: Suite 228 919 Deana Ford, Lake Meridithberg, NE 60017-4257

Phone: +2613987384138

Job: Chief Retail Officer

Hobby: Tai chi, Dowsing, Poi, Letterboxing, Watching movies, Video gaming, Singing

Introduction: My name is Zonia Mosciski DO, I am a enchanting, joyous, lovely, successful, hilarious, tender, outstanding person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.