Lineup of the NHL’s Best Mascots
On October 1, 2022, Buoy the Troll made a dramatic entrance into the Climate Change Arena as the official mascot of the Seattle Kraken. Buoy the Troll is a large blue-haired troll and nephew of the Fremont Troll. He will be joining a long list of eccentric and talented NHL mascots.
To celebrate the reveal of Buoy the troll, I have ranked the 5 best NHL Mascots below based on their creativity, crowd work, and local significance.
#1 - Gritty
Photo by Steve Boyle
Since his debut in 2018, the 7-ft, fuzzy, orange creature has blown up on social media and become adopted by the city of Philadelphia as an emblem of its spirit. Gritty’s somewhat frightening looks and spirited antics make him stand out amongst the other NHL mascots and provides a liveliness to the Wells Fargo Center.
#2 - Al the Octopus
Julian H. Gonzalez | Detroit Free Press
Although Al is not a costumed mascot, he symbolizes an important tradition from the team’s history and holds a great local significance. The tradition began in 1952 when two Redwing’s fans tossed an octopus onto the ice as a symbol of the 8 wins the team needed to secure the Stanley Cup. The name Al is an homage to Arena Manager Al Sobotka who, during the 1995 playoffs, ceremoniously swung an octopus that had been thrown on the ice over his head.
#3 - Fin the Whale
Via Xereau | Canucks Talk Forum
Fin the whale creates an exciting atmosphere in Rogers Arena by beating on his drums, emitting steam from his blowhole, and (as pictured above) chomping down on fans heads. When he isn’t in the stands, he can sometimes be found on the ice as he is one of the few NHL mascots who doubles as a goaltender.
#4 - Gnash
Photo by Michelle R. Martinelli
Gnash the Saber-tooth tiger is quite the daredevil. His performances often include rappelling down from the rafters, jumping onto the ice on a 4-wheel ATV (pictured above), and a pendulum swing across the ice. Aside from his exciting tricks, Gnash is a top-tier mascot for his fierce loyalty to his team. During the 2017 Stanley Cup Champions, Gnash attacked the ESPN experts on twitter for favoring the Chicago BlackHawks over the Predators.
#5 - Youppi!
Photo by Simon Law
Youppi! is a special mascot for many reasons. First being that he is the only mascot to switch between 2 major leagues. Youppi! was originally a mascot for the Expos before making the move to the NHL and becoming the Canadiens mascot. Secondly, for being the first mascot to be thrown out of an MLB game after a stint that involved climbing atop the visitor team’s dugout.
