Mascots can play a huge role in making the in-stadium experience entertaining.
Filling breaks with acts, meeting the fans, and even antagonizing skaters in the penalty box all add to the atmosphere for home fans.
Who Are The Best Mascots In The NHL?
- Gritty - Philadelphia Flyers
- S.J. Sharkie - San Jose Sharks
- Gnash - Nashville Predators
- Wild Wing - Anaheim Ducks
- Sparky - New York Islanders
- Carlton the Bear - Toronto Maple Leafs
- Mick E. Moose - Winnipeg Jets
- Chance - Vegas Golden Knights
- Slapshot - Washington Capitals
- Youppi! - Montréal Canadiens
With the New York Rangers still holding out, the Detroit Red Wings not really having a mascot in the traditional sense, and the Seattle Kraken arriving with a whole heap of ruined potential, there are now 30 mascots in the NHL.
Of them all, these are the characters who stand out as the top ten NHL mascots.
10) Youppi!
It’s tough to say exactly what Youppi! is, but their name is entrenched in the French roots of Québec, and they’ve always been one of the mascots happy to jump in on mad stunts.
Funnily enough, they actually came over from baseball, having been the mascot of the Montréal Expos before they collapsed. In 1989, Youppi! even earned the honour of being the first mascot to be ejected from an MLB game.
For their efforts in hockey, the orange fuzzball made it into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2020, becoming the first Canadian-based mascot to do so.
9) Slapshot
Few NHL teams boast a mascot as perfectly on brand as Slapshot, the bald eagles of the Washington Capitals.
Since 1995, they’ve been swooping around the Capital One Arena, attending community events, and generally being majestic.
8) Chance
Gila monsters may not belong on the ice, but they certainly embody the arid deserts surrounding Sin City.
In their short spell in the NHL, Chance has done a grand job of amping up the Vegas Golden Knights for their two unlikely runs to the Stanley Cup Finals, and at the very least, the costume is well designed.
Over the summer, Chance helped to power the rowdy crowd to an unforgettable Stanley Cup triumph, but strangely, as the defending champions, the Golden Knights are out at +1100 in the NHL odds to repeat.
7) Mick E. Moose
Mighty as the beast itself, Moose is quite the figure in the stands, on the ice, and has a great pun in the name.
While their antlers, eyebrows, and massive grin are what usually catch the eye, it’s the aviator cap and goggles that make them perfect for the Winnipeg Jets.
6) Carlton the Bear
Carlton the Bear was likely spawned from a certain popular soft drink advert of the 90s, but was initially told to be restrained due to the general audience of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the time.
Nowadays, the cuddly polar bear gets a bit more involved in the crowd, performs more stunts, is a merchandising machine, and might soon be able to celebrate a deep run in the playoffs.
In sport betting markets, Carlton’s Buds are in at +900 to finally claim the Cup, but the Colorado Avalanche (+850) and Edmonton Oilers (+800) are currently favoured.
5) Sparky
New York, islands, Brooklyn, and hockey aren’t terms that you’d automatically link to dragons, but that doesn’t stop Sparky from being one of the best mascots in the league.
When the Islanders moved from the Nassau Coliseum to the Barclays Center in 2015, the team ditched their fiery mascot.
Just a few months later, the mascot originally aligned with the New York Dragons was urged to come back.
4) Wild Wing
One of the most iconic mascots in all of major league sports, Wild Wing is powered by 90s nostalgia and that superb hockey mask duck head.
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Fans have long lamented the organization for not bringing back the classic Mighty Ducks jerseys, but Wild Wing’s presence at home games has helped to ease those pleas.
However, for the 2023/24 season, he’ll go from mascot to jersey centrepiece, with the Ducks bringing back the classic logo for their 30th anniversary!
3) Gnash
Making full use of their awesome logo and even the “Nash” in “Nashville,” Gnash is undoubtedly one of the best NHL mascots aesthetically.
Helping them further is that the buff smilodon is always getting involved, doing interviews, stunts, offering their services to boost fan engagement, and even sometimes being a menace to the road fans who dare to enter their den.
2) S.J. Sharkie
Another mascot capitalizing on the inherent appeal of the team’s logo, S.J. Sharkie became an instant fan-favourite on debut in 1992.
Complete with eyebrows and a puck in their jaws, they’ve even got pectoral fins on the sleeves.
Importantly, when it comes to All-Star Weekends, Sharkie’s not a bad hockey player, either; they’re regularly crashing the net, laying down hits, and sneaking the puck past mascot goalies.
1) Gritty
Number one in the Funko Pop! series and number one among the top-ranked NHL mascots, Gritty caught headlines for their unsettling, googly-eyed appearance, only adding to their appeal through their crazy, even maddening behaviour.
A chaotic mascot at the best of times, Gritty’s as mad at the rink as they are on social media.
While they were loathed by many when introduced in 2018, the Philadelphia Flyers mascot is now a pop culture hero.
*Credit for all images in this article belongs to AP Photo*
