Teddy Bear Toss

Canada's Calgary Hitmen have incited fans for years to donate plush toys to area hospitals, benefiting children who are receiving care and to make the time a little more bear-able and less scary for the young patients.

It's how those donations are collected that has grown in notoriety.

The Teddy Bear Toss is a longstanding tradition whereby immediately following the first Hitmen goal in the game, the fans are encouraged to throw their plush bears onto the rink. That's right, the game halts while the fans rain down thousands upon thousands of teddy bears of all sizes and styles over the glass and onto the ice! It's an amazing sight and a generous way to help out a worthy cause.

This past weekend the Teddy Bear Toss totalled 25,003 stuffed critters laying in icy limbo once the barrage from fans ended and the haul had been cleared from the decks.

Go Canada!