UPDATE: The person who recorded the video that accompanied this story has told us we no longer have permission to use it, so it has been removed.

We're just over a month away from the first Detroit Red Wings game at Little Caesars Arena, but on Thursday, the first octopi hit the ice.

Al Sobotka was joined by members of the construction crew working on the arena for the ceremonial toss of the octopi onto the ice.

Video from those inside the arena at the time shows three workers toss the octopi onto the ice and Sobotka doing the famous twirl above the head.