Fan Fined $500 for Firing Octopus into Red Wings' Ocean

by Lisa Ovens

The fan was also tossed from the game. This long standing tradition in Detroit is in peril and something has to be done about it. I can empathize with the National Hockey League: a wet octopus can stick to the cold, hard ice surface, making it a chore to remove and there is also the risk of damage to the ice. Like anyone wants that. However, hockey is a sport that is steeped in tradition, and these traditions mean so much to fans. Heck, in Vancouver (the copycatting city that we are) we toss salmon, occasionally.

This is a tough issue. Gotta love Mike Babcock's response...

“I don't know anything about it, I like calamari as much as they next guy, I don't like batter on it, but I like it spicy and cooked. It's part of the tradition here. I just hope the guys that come on to scrape it off aren't digging up the ice. I want it to be smooth.''


Link to Mlive article

Man...I love it when Babcock talks about food! Remember when he made a sandwich on Hockey Night in Canada earlier this season? Click here for a refresher
 
And the final word in the article and an equally good response? Yotes, netminder, Ilya Bryzgalov...


“It doesn't bother me. They're not throwing the whole octopus on me. Otherwise I would stink.''


Okay, let's get back on track...
 
How do we solve this issue? Use a plastic octopus and hold a some sort of a social media contest and the winning fan gets the opportunity to toss an octopus after the anthem? Perhaps we need to get Brendan Shanahan and his competition committee on the case. Something needs to be done because, well, hockey fans live for this kind of stuff. It's not like every team in the league copies the Red Wings at this time of year. Hopefully someone can step in and save the tradition.
 
Canucks Fans...stuff salmon down your pants at your own risk!

Brendan Shanahan Retires

by Lisa Ovens


Brendan Shanahan played a whopping 21 seasons in the NHL, and he had this to say...

"I would like to thank my family and all of the friends who have helped me achieve and maintain my childhood dream of playing in the National Hockey League. I am enormously grateful to all of my coaches and teammates I've had the privilege of learning from and playing along side of, throughout my career. While I always dreamed of playing in the NHL, I can't honestly say that I would have ever imagined that I'd be this fortunate and blessed. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has helped me fulfill this dream."

Here's an interesting Shanahan statistic: he leads the league with 17 career Gordie Howe hat-tricks. That's pretty impressive stuff. Plus Shanahan is the only goal scorer to score over 600 goals and tally over 2000 penalty minutes. (total goals 656, points 1354). Shanahan is one of only 22 hockey players in the world who have won a Stanley Cup, and Olympic Gold Medal and a World Championship.

Teams Brendan played for...

New Jersey Devils
New York Rangers

Detroit Red Wings  - won three Stanley Cups here- woot!
Hartford Whalers
St. Louis Blues 

Brendan Shanahan may have retired from the game, but the hockey world should hope he finds a position where he may offer some input and guidance to the National Hockey League or the NHL Player's Association or both.

During the2004/05 NHL Lockout he intstigated a summit with a prime directive calling for some desparately needed changes to the game. This event led to the forming of the Competition Committee and those changes being implemented, making the game what it is today.

Above all of that, Brendan Shanahan is a really funny guy :o)

Best of Luck, Shanny!

 The above photo: The Brendan Shanahan card is a cut out hockey card from a box of Kraft Dinner. This was part a promotional series of hockey cards from "The 1998/99 Kraft Collection." My sweet Mom, Stella cut out the Shanahan card and gave it to me.

Shanahan Swag from Lisa's Hockey Collection...