Once you're done singing the Oscar Mayer Weiner jingle, appreciate the size of that catfish (Courtesy of Fansided).
If you’ve been an NHL fan for long, you’ve seen some strange things thrown on the ice. The sport is relatively relaxed about fans throwing objects into the area of play, something you won’t find in other sports like the NFL. NHL fans are just better behaved in that way.
If you’ve never seen a hockey game, you may wonder why objects are falling out of the sky in a semi-regular fashion. I remember that feeling. Some of the things thrown on the ice are less shocking than others. Overall, it’s a good idea to be ready for what’s coming.
The Most Common Objects Thrown On The Ice
Hats
Hats can be thrown at any game. They are thrown for the “hat trick” when any one player scores three points in a game. Every time this happens, horns blow, fans cheer, and hats are thrown onto the ice.
Where did the hat trick come from? No one is quite sure. The most likely theory that is accepted by the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto is that it originated from a competition against the Chicago Blackhawks and the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1946.
Allegedly, Blackhawks player Alex Kaleta walked into a Toronto hat store and found a hat he liked but couldn’t afford. Store owner Sammy Taft said Kaleta could have the hat if he scored three points in the January 26th, 1946 game. Alex Kaleta scored four points.
The top three hat-trick achievers are:
- Wayne Gretzky – 50
- Mario Lemieux – 40
- Mike Bossy – 39
What happens to the hats that are thrown? A player may pick their favorite hat and dispose of the rest; the hats may be donated; or the team may put them on display at an arena.
Rats
The Florida Panthers have rats, but it isn’t a problem. Panthers fans have thrown rodents on the ice since 1996.
How did this tradition start? The Panthers’ captain at the time, Scott Mellanby, put his exterminator hat on and took care of a mouse. The unwanted guest had made it’s way into the team’s locker room before the evening game (as in, smacking the rat against the wall with his hockey stick).
Maybe it was the adrenaline, maybe it was the spirit of the rat, but Mellanby scored two goals that night. A teammate labeled this a “rat trick.”
Word must have gotten out about Scott’s rat-smacking technique because a fan threw a plastic rat onto the ice the following night. Rats began to reign from there, a few more entering the ice each time until it was literally raining rats.
As the fanbase got quieter and the team went under the radar, the rodents would stop flying. That was until 2012, when there was a resurgence of rats as soon as the team started winning. It was big enough that the team started selling the plastic rats at their arena.
The NHL tried (and failed) to omit the rats from play by requesting the Panthers not sell them at their arena anymore. The Florida team was not happy and claimed it was the opposing team’s fans trying to give their team a one-up by creating distractions.
A compromise came about: throw the ice after the game and let the players run in the rat race of their own design until the game is good and done.
Cat Fish
What is it with the South and throwing things? The Nashville Predators began their tradition of throwing catfish onto the ice in 2002. The fans likely chose catfish because it is part of much of the area’s cuisine, and the fish live in the city’s waters.
This past time is a cultural phenomenon, and fans take the responsibility of smuggling the fish into the game very seriously (put that in your clear bag). If it’s not obvious, the fish are dead when thrown, but PETA still felt compelled to ask fans to stop. That didn’t appear to work out.
Octopus
The original seafood thrown on the ice was octopus. This strange tradition began in 1952, when two season ticket holders threw an octopus onto the ice, wishing the Detroit Red Wings good luck.
The aforementioned season ticket holders happened to own a seafood shop and would utilize their own octopus, making sure at least one was thrown away. In 1979, during the first game of the season, the game had to be stopped multiple times to dispose of incoming octopi.
What’s the largest octopus thrown to date? A 50-pounder in 1996. Why an octopus at all? Allegedly, it was because the eight legs represented the number of games the team needed to win to get the Stanley Cup. Clever.
The Zamboni drivers took over in 2015. Al Sobotka, the head driver, retrieves the octopi after they are thrown on the ice. Al perfected the “Octopus Throw,” where he swings the octopus over his head and twirls it around.
The NHL didn’t like this slimy move; eventually, after being unable to get Al to stop, they threatened to fine the team $10,000 if he twirled that octopus one more time. The slimy residue was getting on the ice and the players.
Realizing a good thing when they have it, the NHL dropped the $10k proposition and allowed Sobotka to twirl the octopus to his heart’s content—as long as it’s near the Zamboni gate. Several octopi props have been made in Al’s honor. They hang in the rafters of the arena and are dropped down at various times, typically during playoffs.
One Offs Thrown On the Ice
Legs
This one wasn’t in the NHL, but it’s good to ignore. At a CHL game in the 1990s, a fan threw his prosthetic leg onto the ice after one too many bad calls from the refs. If we threw legs for that in the NFL, the field would be full.
Hamburgers
The “Hamburglar,” Andrew Hammond, the goalie of the Senators, had an incredible streak during the 2014–2015 season, helping lead his team to the playoffs.
In honor of Hammond’s talents, fans began to throw hamburgers onto the ice. One of which was enjoyed as a post-win snack by a teammate. Andrew also won free McDonald’s for life, so that’s a pretty delicious deal.
Smoke/Stink Bomb
In 2008, a smoke bomb was thrown on the ice during a Devils-Flyers game. It first began smoking in front of the Devils’ bench and then was thrown into the Flyers’ tunnel. The fan was thrown on the ice. Just kidding – they were removed from the game, and things were postponed until the smoke cleared.
Other Random Objects
Jerseys – the Toronto Maple Leafs monopolized this one in the infamous jersey gate of 2014. Basically, it is a fan’s way of sharing their not-so-nice feelings about their team. It has been utilized many times by many fan bases.
Bracelets – Philly fans certainly know how to make a reputation for themselves, regardless of the sport. Disgruntled Flyer fans threw commemorative bracelets in honor of the late Ed Snider onto the ice when their team was doing really, really bad. In the words of Lou Nolan, “have some class.”
The Bench – In 2000, the Devils’ head coach threw the team’s bench onto the ice in anger over a non-call.
Other Animals
Sharks – the San Jose sharks have thrown them on the ice. A four-foot shark was tossed in 2007 and another was thrown in 2010—this time with an octopus sewn inside its mouth. That one is a little dark, y’all.
Ducks – the Predators switched out fish for duck twice when playing against the Anaheim… Ducks. In 2011, a dead duck was thrown on the ice. Carrying on the uncomfortable symbolism told through dead animals from the San Jose sharks, Nashville would throw another dead duck on the ice in 2017 – this time with the feathers plucked off.
It is worth noting that when fans used sharks, octopi, and ducks to communicate with unpleasant messaging, the team they were in favor of always won.
