NHL mascots receive their fair share of appreciation for the work they do all year round to build the atmosphere during games and help with marketing, but after a recent scary incident, the appreciation should increase.
John Hayden and the Seattle Kraken were in Alaska filming a promotional video as part of an annual trip organized by the Bristol Bay Native Corporation in Anchorage, with events that promote youth ice hockey, when a brown bear appeared, with its eyes set on the Kraken's blue-haired mascot, Buoy. Hayden and Buoy were on a fly-fishing outing in Katmai National Park, accompanied by a guide, when the bear approached them.
They had first spotted the bear while in the river, and began to slowly move away. The belief was that the bear was curious about Buoy's blue hair, as Hayden said jokingly.
"I want to blame it on Buoy," Hayden said in the video afterward. "They were pretty interested in his look."
Thankfully, Hayden, Buoy and the guide were left untouched as the bear did approach but never got too close, but there was a brief moment when the bear began to look as if it would charge at everyone. It stopped after a few steps, and everyone made it out safely.
"Bears are everywhere at Brooks Falls and, like, this is their territory," said Kraken Partnership Marketing Director Melissa O'Brochta, who also recorded the encounter from shore. "They're also super used to seeing humans. So I wasn't scared."
NHL mascots are popular, highlighted by the Philadelphia Flyers' Gritty, who has shown no remorse in messing with fans during the games. Others, like the Toronto Maple Leafs, Carlton, Montreal Canadiens, Youppi and Vancouver Canucks, Fin the Whale are popular due to their longstanding history with the team and the connection they build with the young audience.
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