To all who Wondered

Having a husband who enjoys hockey I often end up at hockey parties, last night included. We were watching Detroit try to win the Stanley Cup against Pittsburgh. They did not win that game but they do have one more chance on Wednesday. That's all just background though.

When Detroit scored we noticed an octopus sitting on the ice and there was another one at the next goal. Most were aware of the tradition but no one knew where it came from. Thanks Google for answering all my questions.

The following comes from this website

I grew up in the Detroit area, now I live in Utah. I know that at Detroit Red Wings games we had a tradition in the playoffs of throwing octopus on the ice. But I can't for the life of me remember why! - Tawnia

Answer: The Motor City's proud tradition of saluting the Detroit Red Wings with slimy creatures of the deep dates back over half a century.

The first octopus landed on the ice during the Red Wings' 1952 Stanley Cup run, courtesy of brothers Pete and Jerry Cusimano, who owned a fish market. If you know your cephalopods, you will know that an octopus has eight tentacles. In those days it took eight playoff wins to claim the Cup, hence the supposed symbolism of the gesture.

The Red Wings were perfect in the '52 playoffs, sweeping the semifinal and the final in straight games. The octopus has been a good luck charm ever since.

By 1995, the team had adopted the tradition by introducing a mascot, Al the Octopus. Al is raised to the rafters of Joe Louis Arena before every home playoff game, and used in team merchandising and promotion.

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