List of NHL mascots
This is a list of current and former National Hockey League mascots. The NHL's first mascot, Harvey of the Calgary Flames, debuted in 1983. As of 2025, the New York Rangers are the only team without a mascot.
Current teams
Anaheim Ducks
Wild Wing, the mascot of the Anaheim Ducks, descended from the rafters of Anaheim Arena before their very first game on October 8, 1993. Wild Wing was introduced by Iceman, a short-lived speaking mascot that was "pretty much canceled before the end of the opening game".An anthropomorphic duck, Wild Wing has been featured on the Ducks' jerseys. Wild Wing's name was chosen following a fan "Name the Mascot" write-in contest. During the team's 1995 home opener against the Calgary Flames, Wild Wing caught fire attempting to jump over a wall of flames, after his skates caught on a trampoline. Wild Wing was the basis for the protagonist of the 1996–97 animated series Mighty Ducks.
Boston Bruins
Blades is the mascot of the Boston Bruins. A bipedal brown bear, Blades was named in 2000 by nine-year-old Jillian Dempsey, who later became a professional player.Buffalo Sabres
Sabretooth is the mascot of the Buffalo Sabres. Sabretooth debuted with the Sabres in the 1988–89 season. From 1992 to 1998, he was the mascot of the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League. He is a yellow anthropomorphic sabretooth tiger with blue stripes, and has protruding teeth.Calgary Flames
Harvey, the mascot of the Calgary Flames, debuted in 1984 as the NHL's first mascot. He is an anthropomorphic Siberian Husky. In 2003, Edmonton Oilers coach Craig MacTavish ripped out Harvey's tongue during a game.Carolina Hurricanes
Stormy the Ice Hog is the mascot of the Carolina Hurricanes. An anthropomorphic pig, Stormy wears the number 97.The decision for Stormy to be a pig was inspired by North Carolina's pork industry. When the team was being moved from the Hartford Whalers, then-owner Peter Karmanos considered naming the team the "Ice Hogs". Then–general manager Jim Rutherford said the idea was also influenced by meetings with North Carolina politician Wendell Murphy. The theme was instead expressed through the mascot.
Stormy—unnamed at the time—debuted on September 22, 1997. During his debut, the human playing Stormy suffered a medical emergency. Stormy was officially named a month after his debut, on October22, as the result of an internet survey of fans.
In the 2017–18 season, the Hurricanes introduced Caroline, a female counterpart to Stormy. Beginning in 2019, the Hurricanes were also unofficially supported by Hamilton, a real pig who had been adopted by fans. Stormy is portrayed by a full-time performer; Caroline is portrayed by three part-time performers.
Chicago Blackhawks
Tommy Hawk is the mascot for the Chicago Blackhawks introduced during the 2001–02 season. He is a hawk who wears the Blackhawks' famed 4 feathers on his head, along with a Blackhawks jersey and hockey pants. In December 2018, Tommy Hawk was involved in an altercation with an unidentified fan which was caught on video that went viral.Colorado Avalanche
Howler was the first official mascot of the Colorado Avalanche, introduced when the team moved to Denver in 1995. As a large Yeti, his presence was symbolized by a footprint on the team's jerseys. Howler's tenure ended in 2001, following a 1999 incident involving a physical altercation with a fan at McNichols Arena.Bernie, the newest mascot of the Colorado Avalanche, debuted to the public against the Vancouver Canucks at Pepsi Center on October 3, 2009, in Denver, Colorado. Bernie, short for Bernard, is a St. Bernard dog. Bernie is the second mascot since Howler the Yeti who was retired early in the Avalanche franchise. Bernie's jersey is marked with a bone that resembles the #1. A fan page for Bernie was also unveiled October 3, 2009.
On January 30, 2022, the team introduced a new miniature version of Bernie named Lil' Bern.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Stinger is the mascot of the Columbus Blue Jackets. He is an anthropomorphic yellowjacket, colored bright green. Beginning in 1997, one of the Blue Jackets' alternate jerseys featured Stinger wearing a Union Army uniform. Stinger was introduced as the Blue Jackets' mascot at a 1999 Fourth of July parade.Boomer was a secondary mascot who first appeared in November 2010. An anthropomorphic gray cannon with wheels and a large white mustache, Boomer was not well received due to his phallic appearance. Boomer was inspired by the goal cannon that fires whenever the Blue Jackets score a goal in their arena.
Dallas Stars
Victor E. Green is the mascot for the Dallas Stars. He is a furry green alien with hockey sticks for antennas who comes from a galaxy far, far away. His name is a play on the Dallas Stars' team color Victory Green or may be a reference to former owner Norman Green. He was introduced on September 13, 2014, and is the first mascot of the Stars' franchise. Victory Park is the name of the area of Dallas where the Stars play.Detroit Red Wings
Al is the octopus mascot of the Detroit Red Wings. It is also the only mascot that is not costumed. In 1952, when east side fish merchants Pete and Jerry Cusimano threw a real octopus onto the Olympia arena ice, the eight legs represented the eight victories needed to secure a Stanley Cup in those six-team days. Since then, fans throw an octopus onto the ice for good luck. In the 1995 Playoffs, fans threw fifty-four onto the ice. Arena Manager and Zamboni driver Al Sobotka ceremoniously scoops them up and whirls them over his head, and play continues. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman forbade Sobotka from doing so during the 2008 playoffs, claiming that debris flew off the octopuses and onto the ice. Sobotka and the Red Wings have denied that this occurs, but even so Sobotka acquiesced and now twirls the octopuses once he departs the ice. In 2011, the NHL forbade fans from throwing any octopuses on the ice, penalizing all violators with a $500 fine. This has led to local outcry at the seemingly intentional destruction of a classic tradition. Red Wings' forward Johan Franzen has pledged to pay any and all fines as an attempt to continue the tradition.Two identical large purple prop octopuses, named after ice manager Al Sobotka, used to be positioned in or on top of Joe Louis Arena for the duration of the playoffs. After closing down the arena after the 2016–2017 season, one was sold for $7,700.
The Detroit Red Wings mascot The Red Winger appeared when Mike Ilitch bought the team in 1982 and continued mascoting until the end of the 1987 season.
Edmonton Oilers
Hunter is the mascot for the Edmonton Oilers. He is an anthropomorphic Canadian Lynx and is named after Bill Hunter. He was introduced on September 26, 2016, and wears the number 72, in reference to the team's founding in 1972. He is the team's first official mascot. On December 10, 2023, a new miniature version of Hunter named Kit was introduced to the public.Florida Panthers
Stanley C. Panther was named in 1995 by Darrel Ambrosini and is an anthropomorphic Florida panther, hence the name of the mascot. He is named for the Stanley Cup.Viktor E. Rat was named in October 2014 in honor of the club's 1996 Stanley Cup Finals run where rats were tossed on ice and is an anthropomorphic rat.
At the beginning of the 2007–08 season, the Panthers added another mascot that is half the size of Stanley, hence the name "Mini Stanley". Due to Mini Stanley's smaller size, he is a mascot that caters more to children.
Los Angeles Kings
Kingston was the first mascot of the Los Angeles Kings. He is a snow leopard and was the team mascot from 1990 to 1996. In 2015, Kingston came out of retirement to be the new mascot for the Kings' AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign.Bailey, the mascot of the Los Angeles Kings, is a 6-foot lion who wears No. 72 because it is the average temperature in Los Angeles. He debuted during the 2007–2008 season and was named in honor of Garnet Bailey, who served as the Kings' Director of Pro Scouting from 1994 until his death in the September 11 attacks. He wears the patch worn by the Kings during the season following the attacks in honor of both Ace and Mark Bavis.
For the 2009–10 season, the Kings partnered with Carl's Jr. to create a series of videos in which Kings organization members competed against Carl's Jr. organization members. The first installment in which Bailey appears is a spoof on Carl's Jr.'s commercials, with Bailey replacing scantily clad actresses.
Since 2013 Bailey has been involved in a Twitter feud with CM Punk, a Chicago native and die-hard Chicago Blackhawks fan. During the 2014 playoffs when the Blackhawks faced the Kings in the Western Conference Finals, the two made a bet on the series stating that the loser must upload a picture of themselves wearing the winning team's jersey. Ultimately Punk posted a picture of himself in front of United Center in Chicago wearing a Kings jersey after the Kings eliminated the Blackhawks in seven games. In the fall of 2014 during a Blackhawks-Kings game at Staples Center Bailey jumped off his ATV and delivered an elbow drop to Punk in the backstage area.
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild unveiled their mascot, named Nordy, on October 5, 2008. His species is intentionally ambiguous, vaguely resembling the team logo, wearing a "hockey hair" mullet and a green "M" on his forehead. Nordy wears the jersey number 18,001, a reference to their home stadium's capacity.Montreal Canadiens
Youppi! is the official mascot for the Montreal Canadiens. The exclamation mark is part of the trademarked name. From 1979 to 2004, Youppi! was the mascot of the Montreal Expos baseball team. When the Expos left Montreal, Youppi! was adopted by the hockey franchise, becoming the first league-switching mascot in major league sports history. Instead of endorsing a number in the back of his jersey, he wears an exclamation mark, which he had worn while with the Expos. Prior to Youppi!, the Canadiens had no official mascot.In 2022, to promote the team's reverse retro jerseys, the team created METAL!, a heavy-metal-obsessed blue creature, who claims to have been Youppi!'s twin brother, and have been the Canadiens mascot from 1979 to 1993, even though there is no evidence of the latter statement.