The fun personal rankings are back, and in this post, I will cover a lighter aspect of the game of hockey that plays a key role in the fan experience: mascots.
In this post, I will rank the NHL mascots from my least favorite to favorite and give brief explanations for their respective rankings. Keep in mind that these rankings are completely subjective, and the Rangers and Kraken currently don't have mascots. Although the Red Wings retired their most recent mascot, he will still be considered in this ranking. Also, if I use any photos in this post, they will be ones that I have taken myself. Without further ado, let's begin:
30) Spartacat (Senators)
I have at least a few reasons why I ranked Spartacat last. He is hideous, kinda creepy, and looks like he regularly smokes bowls of crystal meth or snorts lines of cocaine. In addition, there is another team in the NHL that has adopted a lion as its mascot, and that other mascot is much, much better and cooler overall.
29) Stinger (Blue Jackets)
Like Spartacat, Stinger is also hideous. He could have a better name as well. What doesn't help his case is that I am afraid of and get uncomfortable around real stinging insects.
28) Harvey the Hound (Flames)
Harvey the Hound doesn't look that great and seems kinda basic.
27) Victor E. Green (Stars)
Another example of a rather ugly mascot with a not-so-creative name.
26) Stanley C. Panther (Panthers)
Not terrible, but rather boring and generic in comparison to most NHL mascots. In addition, I think there are better name ideas for the Panthers' mascot than just naming him after the Stanley Cup.
25) Iceburgh (Penguins)
Decent mascot, but a bit too cartoony for me.
24) Bernie (Avalanche)
Another decent mascot but a bit boring in comparison to most NHL mascots.
23) Stormy (Hurricanes)
See previous ranking.
22) Youppi! (Canadiens)
Solid choice for a mascot and makes sense from a historical perspective, but I find him a bit weird at the same time.
21) Sabretooth (Sabres)
Not bad by any means, but a bit cartoony and has a very generic, non-creative name.
20) Fin (Canucks)
Cool mascot, but I like others in the NHL more.
19) Hunter (Oilers)
Great-looking and appeals to all ages, but not entirely sure how having a lynx as a mascot directly correlates with the Oilers. I feel like there may have been better choices for the Oilers' mascot, but still solid.
18) Mickey Moose (Jets)
Another solid mascot and very fitting since he is based on one of Canada's national symbolic animals. Also looks a bit goofy and cartoony.
17) Nordy (Wild)
Great representation of the Wild's primary logo, but no Minnesota Wild mascot can match the amazing design and cool factor of one of the greatest logos in all of sports.
16) Sparky the Dragon (Islanders)
Looks awesome, but I think there are better ideas for the Islanders' mascot than a mythical creature.
15) Thunderbug (Lightning)
Looks a bit weird, but has grown on me quickly. Besides that, I think he's cool.
14) Chance the Gila Monster (Golden Knights)
Solid choice for a mascot, especially since Las Vegas is in the middle of a desert. However, Vegas' live mascot, which is a Golden Knight, is more fitting for Vegas hockey. In addition, Chance the Gila Monster looks a bit goofy, and I don't want to be subject to his antics if and when I attend a game at T-Mobile Arena.
13) Carlton the Bear (Maple Leafs)
Cute, cuddly, and represents one of Canada's national symbolic animals.
12) N.J. Devil (Devils)
The idea for N.J. Devil was very well-executed, but he's a bit generic and could use a less generic name.
11) Louie (Blues)
There aren't really any better options than Louie when it comes to the St. Louis Blues' mascot, but he is a bit generic compared to the NHL mascots I have listed in my top ten above him.
10) Al the Octopus (Red Wings)
A truly amazing mascot. Too bad he was mired in controversy and had to be retired. Also, octopi aren't one of the first things that I think of when it comes to the Red Wings.
9) Howler (Coyotes)
Great mascot, but Howler would be more appealing if his name was less generic and the Coyotes had a better track record in their franchise history.
8) Tommy Hawk (Blackhawks)
An incredibly fitting mascot that pays tribute to the native tribe that the Blackhawks honor.
7) Blades (Bruins)
An all-around great mascot and the best of all the bear mascots in the NHL.
6) Wild Wing (Ducks)
There isn't a better duck mascot in sports than Wild Wing. He is inspired by a character from Disney's Mighty Ducks movie series, and a goalie mask and pads are integrated into his appearance. On top of that, Wild Wing is just an overall cool mascot. I'm not a huge Anaheim Ducks fan by any means, but the Ducks knocked one out of the park with their mascot.
5) Bailey (Kings)
The Kings are one of my least favorite teams, but if there is at least one thing I like about them, it is their mascot Bailey. He looks plain awesome and was named to honor someone significant to the Kings organization. In addition, the lion is often referred to as the king of the jungle, so it only made sense for the Kings' mascot to be a lion.
4) Slapshot (Capitals)
Slapshot is a well-designed, amazing mascot who does some incredible things on the ice before games and during intermissions. In addition, he is the perfect embodiment of American patriotism.
3) Gnash (Predators)
Like Slapshot, Gnash is another well-designed, amazing mascot who does some incredible things on the ice before games and during intermissions. However, I have Gnash ranked a tad above Slapshot because Gnash seems more original.
2) Gritty (Flyers)
When Gritty was first introduced publicly, I thought he was very creepy and looked like a Sesame Street character on crack. I also had no idea what the Flyers were thinking when they created Gritty. However, after some time passed and Gritty had more of a presence at Flyers games and other events, Gritty grew on me quickly. I now see him as one of the greatest things to happen to the Flyers, the city of Philadelphia, and the hockey and sports worlds. Gritty's antics and shenanigans are nothing short of entertaining, and he created a ton of buzz on social media and across the sports and entertainment sectors. Gritty is an absolute goofball who loves to have fun, and I love that. The hockey world needs more of personalities like Gritty in an area that significantly lacks any sort of personality.
1) S.J. Sharkie (Sharks)
I may sound biased because I am a huge Sharks fan, but S.J. Sharkie is by far my favorite mascot in the NHL and possibly all of sports. Sharkie looks amazing, supports great causes, and interacts very well with everyone. He is also a mascot of many talents, from gliding down to the ice from the rafters at SAP Center before games to crashing weddings. There isn't a mascot in sports that I would want to directly interact with more than S.J. Sharkie, and that's why he tops my NHL mascot rankings.
I plan to release more fun personal rankings before the start of this coming NHL season, so be on the lookout for those soon.
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