Last week in the NHL and beyond: Littered Leafs jersey, McDavid on Team Canada debate, an allegedly impaired Zamboni driver and more

Every week, we'll update you on all the important happenings in the hockey world over the past seven days — from the NHL and beyond.

There were plenty of viral happenings around the game as October winds to a close, including a disgruntled Maple Leafs fan shedding his tarp, a hometown Canucks rookie making his mark, billionaire bonuses, the new Jets coach setting records, Connor McDavid settling the Team Canada captain debate, massive hits, WWE-style sequences and an (allegedly) impaired Zamboni driver.

Here's the top sights, sounds and news you might have missed in hockey last week.

Disgruntled Leafs fan launches a jersey to the ice

It's been an underwhelming start to the Toronto Maple Leafs' season, and one fan last Thursday voiced their displeasure in classic, overreactive fashion: the good old jersey toss.

As time ticked down on the Leafs' 5-1 loss to the St. Louis Blues, Leafs Nation's Nick Alberga captured a video of a fan chucking a blue-and-white sweater onto the ice following the Blues' fifth and final goal.

The 4-4-1 Leafs are currently mired in a three-game losing streak and sit fourth in the Atlantic division as of Monday afternoon.

McDavid endorses Crosby as Team Canada captain amid national debate

As the hockey world finally prepares for the first "best-on-best" international competition featuring NHL players since 2016, much of the discussion in Canada has centred around which elite pivot should captain the Canadians during February's 4-Nations Face Off tournament, which will also feature USA, Finland and Sweden.

Some feel it's Oilers superstar Connor McDavid's time to wear the "C" while many others believe Penguins phenom and Canadian Olympic legend Sidney Crosby should captain the squad as long as he's playing.

Well, McDavid appeared to put all that debate to rest last week when he whole-heartedly endorsed Crosby for the role.

"Should be Sid, that's for sure, it's not even a question," said McDavid.

Quebec Zamboni driver dressed like kangaroo, arrested on suspicion of DWI

A Zamboni driver in western Quebec was arrested last week on suspicion of impaired driving after crashing the ice-resurfacing machine into the boards while cleaning the ice between two games.

Sgt. Martin Fournel of Sécurité Publique MRC des Collines-de-l'Outaouais said, per the Canadian Press, that multiple people witnessed the crash before one of them called police after getting the impression that the driver was impaired.

Fournel says police administered a sobriety test before arresting the arena employee, who was released on a promise to appear in court at a later date.

Nobody was hurt, according to police.

There's A LOT going on here.

Scott Arniel's record start behind the Jets bench

The 8-0-0 Winnipeg Jets are absolutely cooking, and Saturday night's victory over the Calgary Flames marked a couple of massive benchmarks for the team and new head coach Scott Arniel.

Winners of eight-straight to open the 2024-25 campaign, Winnipeg matched its all-time record for consecutive wins at any point in a season. Arniel also became the first head coach in NHL history to start off his tenure with a franchise with at least eight straight victories.

Arniel was named coach of the Jets in May, replacing 61-year-old Rick Bowness, who announced his retirement earlier that month.

Arshdeep Bains has a night to remember with hometown Canucks

Forward Arshdeep Bains etched a moment all hockey players dream of: scoring his first NHL goal for his hometown team at home in front of loved ones and friends.

On Saturday, the rookie left winger grabbed a lose puck in the Penguins' zone midway through the second period, and fed linemate Daniel Sprong, who ripped down the ice and hammered a shot into the pads of Alex Nedeljkovic. The Pittsburgh goalie was unable to grab the rebound, which popped out to Bains before he shovelled the biscuit into the empty net.

Bains has made headlines for his play, but also as an ambassador and inspiration to the South Asian community — making this call on Hockey Night in Canada's Punjabi broadcast that much more electric.

“I can’t really even put it in the words,” Bains said of his first NHL goal. “It just happened so fast and all the guys were so happy. It’s just a special moment.”

A product of the Vancouver suburb of Surrey, Bains' mom and dad were in the crowd to soak in their son's big night. The 23-year-old met with his parents following Saturday's game, armed with a special surprise.

This is what it's all about.

Lightning owner Jeff Vinik surprises staffers with massive, five-digit bonuses

Tampa Bay Lightning owner Jeff Vinik sold a majority share in the franchise last week, but this isn't your everyday, ordinary, billionaire-cashing-in tale.

In an email sent to team employees, Vinik said he had added new partners to the ownership group to “ensure lasting success” but that nothing would change in the day-to-day operations of the team.

Well, except for this: every full-time employee of Vinik Sports Group, about 300 in total, would share in a $20 million pool of bonuses, with each staffer taking home a minimum of $50,000.

It's a show of selflessness and generosity rarely seen in sports, or any business really.

“Best owner in sports,” said Lightning general manager Julien BriseBois last Thursday.

“I have friends involved in other sports, and they all say the same thing. Jeff is the best.”

Red Wings' Rasmussen goes full WWE mode with epic sequence versus Devils

Detroit Red Wings centre Michael Rasmussen posted one of the most bad-ass sequences you could possibly rig up when scoring something as generally anti-climatic as an empty-net goal versus the New Jersey Devils.

After guiding the puck into the empty net to seal the victory for New Jersey on Thursday, Rasmussen absolutely levelled Devils star Jack Hughes with a reverse hit for the ages, before standing over the former first-overall pick and celebrating in his face.

Naturally, a massive melee ensued.

Matthew Tkachuk scores the most Matthew Tkachuk goal ever

The Panthers superstar is a Stanley Cup champion and one of the most talented wingers in the world.

Tkachuk has also (intentionally) forged a reputation as one of the biggest sh*t disturbers in the game, and that particular set of skills was on full display during this wild net-front sequence versus the New York Islanders on Saturday as Tkachuk bullied his way to one of the greasiest goals you'll ever see.

Rangers' Jacob Trouba lays bone-shattering hit on Canadiens' Justin Barron

They don't call him the "Trouba Train" for no reason.

The Rangers defenceman is known as maybe the biggest hitter in the game today, and Trouba showed why he's earned that reputation with this absolutely devastating check on Canadiens blueliner Justin Barron last Tuesday night.

You can feel this one through the computer screen. Sheesh.

Halloween fun FT. the Joseph Brothers and Andre Burakovsky

Halloween party season is in full swing for NHLers, with most teams holding their parties on their respective off-days last week.

While we won't dive too deep into this topic, a couple fabulous costumes (and one day-after mishap) caught the eye of the Internet. Pierre-Olivier and Mathieu Joseph — brothers who currently play together with the Blues — put together their own version of a couples costume, as both dressed up as the "White Chicks" of the 2004 cult classic from the Wayans brothers.

They brothers joined the Blues' wives and girlfriends for an epic photo to valt these costumes into all-time great territory.

Kraken forward Andre Burakovsky, meanwhile, had a little trouble shedding his costume before Seattle's practice following the team's Halloween party last week.

Spooky season is upon us — off the ice and, for some (looking at you, jersey-tossing Leafs fans), on the ice, too.