Image credit : @Claude Landry on Facebook
Fans throw their hats onto the ice, bizarre objects make their way onto the rink and players refuse to shave their beards during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Hockey is chock full of quirky and unique traditions.
However, you’d be surprised to learn how some of the NHL’s most notable traditions began. Many were not league-implemented or thought up. They were just odd moments that eventually turned into traditions. Here are the back stories to five NHL traditions.
Detroit’s Octopus Tradition
It all began in 1952, when brothers Pete and Jerry Cusimano threw an octopus onto the ice during a Stanley Cup Playoffs game at Detroit Olympia. Back then, Detroit needed eight victories to win the Stanley Cup. And what has eight limbs? An octopus, of course. Detroit went on to win the Stanley Cup and the octopus tradition was forever embedded into Detroit hockey.
Florida’s Flying Rats
During the Panthers’ 1995-96 season opener at Miami Arena, a rat made its way into the team’s locker room. Panthers’ forward Scott Mellanby whacked the rodent with his stick and went on to score twice in the contest. Panthers’ netminder John Vanbiesbrouck jokingly referred to Mellanby’s night as a “rat trick”. Since then Panthers fans throw rubber rats onto the ice each time Florida scores.
Nashville’s Catfish
Inspired by Detroit’s octopus tradition, one Predators supporter by the name of Bob Wolf chucked a nine-pound catfish onto the ice during a game against the Detroit Red Wings in 1999. Since then Preds fans have been known to throw a catfish onto the ice during clutch moments.
Playoff Beards
Popularized during the New York Islanders dynasty in the early 1980s, defenders would grow out their beards during the playoffs and refrain from shaving them until their postseason journeys were over. According to NHL.com, defenseman Ken Morrow reportedly started the playoff beard fad when he walked in with one and other Islander’s followed suit. Soon enough other NHL teams picked up on the playoff beard tradition as well.
Throwing Hats After a Hat Trick
The term “hat trick” can be dated back as far as 1858, in the game of cricket. When H.H. Stephenson took three consecutive wickets, he was presented with a hat as a result of his incredible feat. The term “hat trick” made its way into hockey as the term used to describe a player’s three goal game. Eventually hat-trick celebrations incorporated fans throwing their hats onto the ice.
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