<P> This Legend of the Octopus tradition , started on April 15 , 1952 , when two brothers , Pete and Jerry Cusimano , who owned a fish market , decided to throw an octopus onto the ice at Olympia Stadium , with the eight tentacles of the octopus symbolizing the eight wins it took to win the Stanley Cup at the time . The Red Wings were a perfect 7 -- 0 in the playoffs and were one win away from not only winning the Cup , but becoming the first perfect team in the NHL 's post season history . Sure enough the Red Wings won that game , and the media made mention of the octopus `` omen '' in the papers the following day , thus establishing the octopus legend in the process . Fans have been throwing octopuses onto the ice at Red Wings games ever since . The tradition died down somewhat in the 1970s and 1980s during the Red Wings dismal seasons , but when the Red Wings became contenders again in the 1990s , the tradition resumed . </P>
<P> This Legend of the Octopus tradition , started on April 15 , 1952 , when two brothers , Pete and Jerry Cusimano , who owned a fish market , decided to throw an octopus onto the ice at Olympia Stadium , with the eight tentacles of the octopus symbolizing the eight wins it took to win the Stanley Cup at the time . The Red Wings were a perfect 7 -- 0 in the playoffs and were one win away from not only winning the Cup , but becoming the first perfect team in the NHL 's post season history . Sure enough the Red Wings won that game , and the media made mention of the octopus `` omen '' in the papers the following day , thus establishing the octopus legend in the process . Fans have been throwing octopuses onto the ice at Red Wings games ever since . The tradition died down somewhat in the 1970s and 1980s during the Red Wings dismal seasons , but when the Red Wings became contenders again in the 1990s , the tradition resumed . </P>
why is the red wings mascot an octopus
why is the red wings mascot an octopus
tradition
tradition