How do Canadian people get those octopuses into hockey matches? Why do they throw them?

Answer 1

Fans often threw an octopus onto the ice as a good luck charm.
The buy them at markets or fish them.

Legend of The Octopus Encyclopedia
http://www.karr.net/encyclopedia/Legend_of_the_Octopus/

The Legend of the Octopus is a sports tradition during Detroit Red Wings home games in which an octopus is thrown onto the ice surface for good luck during a playoff run. The origins of the activity go back to the 1952 playoffs, when a National Hockey League team played two best-of-seven series — needing to win eight games — to capture the Stanley Cup. The octopus, having eight arms, symbolized the number of playoff wins necessary for the Red Wings to win the Stanley Cup. The team swept the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens en route to winning the championship, as well as winning two of the next three championships.

Since 1952, because the tossing of octopuses is generally viewed as a successful symbol of good luck, the practice has persisted each year; in one 1995 game, fans threw 36 octopuses, including a 30-pounder[1]. The Red Wings mascot is a purple octopus named Al, and during playoff runs two of these mascots are also hung from the rafters of the Joe Louis Arena, symbolising the 16 wins now needed to win the Stanley Cup.

In recent years, however, animal rights groups, such as PETA, have objected to the activity, claiming that "flinging an octopus is no more acceptable than hurling kittens and puppies." [2]

Answer 2

As others have said, the tradition started in Detroit and is still almost entirely a Detroit tradition, not Canadian. Brothers at a fish market brought octopi to celebrate each of the eight wins it took at the time to win the Stanley Cup. (Eight wins total, not eight to reach the championship round -- there were only six teams back then!)

Now, most octopi-throwers will boil them before bringing them to the game, because they smell less that way.

Answer 3

It was started by Detroit and they proably don't throw them as much. First they only did it during the playoffs. Second ever since 2000 it has been illegal to throw anything other then hats on the ice after a hat trick. The team would get a delay of game penalty for it.

Answer 4

Eneida is right about where and why it originated (Detroit needing 8 wins for the cup) but left out one detail. It was a couple of brothers who ran a seafood shop in Detroit that came up with the idea. I forget which of my hockey books I read that in, but that's where it came from. It became popular with the fans, so they continue it to this day.

Answer 5

OK, first of all it's not Canadians who throw the octapi. It's Detroit Red Wings fans. Detroit is of course an American city. They represent the eight wins it used to take to get the Stanley Cup. (It now takes 16) As for how the fans get them in, I assume they sneak them under their coats. (hopefully they put them in zip lock bags first, but who knows)

Answer 6

It is not Canadian. That started in Detroit where outside the Joe Louise Arena there are people who sell octopus to people going to the game.

Answer 7

They throw them b/c octuposes have 8 legs and the Red Wings have 8 championships. Detriot is the only city to do it

Answer 8

That last one isn't quite accurate... it's not because Detroit has eight championships, it's because when the tradition was started it used to take eight wins to get TO the championship series (two best-of-seven rounds).

Answer 9

I have never heard of this before. Are the octopuses alive? If they are alive, that is cruel.

Answer 10

Its NOT a Canadian thing! They do that in Detriot only! They just sneak them in and its their good luck thing.