Sports

Monochrome Monday: “Yeet the Fish!”

Published

3 months ago

August 19, 2024

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This week’s Monochrome Monday needs a bit of an introduction for fans outside of the Pacific Northwest. Every NHL team has its own unique way of celebrating a win on home ice. The Bruins’ Swayman and Ullmark perfected the goalie hug, Panthers fans throw rubber rats, and the Red Wings originated tossing an octopus onto the ice. Some traditions are born organically, while others are inspired by the local hockey community. At the end of most professional hockey games, three skaters are called back onto the ice and recognized for their individual contributions to the game. These “3 Stars” of the game usually raise their hands and salute the crowd, and often toss a puck or stick to a lucky fan in the stands.

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Seattle aimed to do things a bit differently by incorporating a recognizable element that pays tribute to its fishing community. Venture into the city’s historic Public Market, and on any given day, you will catch the famous fishmongers at Pike Place Fish Co. tossing a fish to excited customers. The fish market is a favorite destination for tourists and has been featured on CNN and MTV’s The Real World. The Kraken’s entertainment production team was inspired by the fish toss at the Public Market, and thus “Yeet the Fish” was born. In keeping with the team’s promise to promote sustainability and honor the traditions of its native peoples, the fish Seattle chose was a salmon. Each salmon is signed by a player before being tossed and includes details about the fish’s species and origin. The first “yeeting” occurred during the Kraken’s 2022-23 season with goalie, Phillip Grubauer being the first to yeet the fish.

After two seasons of yeeting, the players have mixed up their toss strategy to keep fans on their toes. One of the most memorable Kraken fish tosses occurred at the 2024 Winter Classic opening ceremony, where the Pike Place Fish crew threw their daily catch over the players’ heads. Earlier this year the fishers switched to tossing a stuffed fish, instead of an aquatic animal.