Legend of the Octopus

Was talking with @RyanDelaney10 on our way to hockey last night (to what turned out to be the Clams final game of the year, but not ready to blog about that yet) about how the Bruins have become like the Patriots. We expect them to not only make the playoffs each year, but we expect them to make a run. Like a sunburn in Wellfleet, it's become an essential part of a Boston summer.

What I love about this new tradition is inviting everyone into the world of hockey that some of us have been a part of since we put on skates at the age of 2 even if it is only for 6-8 weeks between April and June. To me, that is completely fine. Jump on the bandwagon, this sport and the B's deserve it. 

It seems like only a few years ago that no one knew what icing or offsides was. No one could name 3 players in Bruins history besides Bourque, Neely and Orr. Today, people know the nightly roster ... Noseface, Tuukka, Big Z, Miller and Krug. As Claude said after the Game 2 win, the fans of Boston appreciate the rough and tough way they play the game and they will never apologize for that. They are a true definition of our city.

What I also love about this time of year is the questions I get - from friends, family, guys, girls, doesn't matter. 

"Why was that not a trip?"

"What the hell is Jack talking about?"

"Did Tuukka almost just get hit by an octopus?" (this one was from my wife)

As a Wings fan growing up, I wanted to quickly explain the Legend of the Octopus as maybe you were just as confused as she was and maybe you will begin to appreciate it as much as I do. It's unique, it's crazy, it's Hockeytown.

The octopus concept started back in the 1950's when all a team had to do was play two best-of-seven series to win the Stanley Cup. That's 8 wins to capture sports greatest trophy. How many legs does an octopus have? 8 ... it only makes sense. Two local brothers who owned a market threw an octopus onto the ice at "The Old Red Barn", the Wings home before The Joe, and the Wings went on to sweep Toronto and Montreal en route to the 1952 Cup. They went on to win 2 of the next 3 cups, so a tradition was born and has grown significantly.

More recently, in '95, Detroit faithful threw 36 total octopi on the ice during one game, including a 38 pound guy which resulted in Detroit's mascot, Al ... a purple octopus. There are two purple octopi now hanging from the rafters at the Joe to symbolize how many wins it takes today to capture the Cup ... 16. How many legs do two octopi have? You get it.

It is accepted, it is welcome, and again, it is creative in a way that only makes sense in the sport of hockey. Other places have tried it including Boston where a fan threw a lobster on the ice during the 1995 playoffs against the Devils, Florida where rats were thrown, New Jersey and Nashville fish, San Jose sharks, etc ... but only in Detroit has it remained a tradition.

Unfortunately for Wings fans, I don't think many more squishy bodies will hit the ice at the Joe this year. Montreal is waiting and the B's will win the next two to greet them.