Article Archive #13 - Mascots

This post originally appeared on Hockey Jersey Concepts on April 8th, 2016.

Hello folks!  This week I'm going to discuss one aspect of a team's brand which is often overlooked, the mascot.  Mascots are the biggest way teams market themselves to the next generation of hockey fans, yet they haven't been discussed much on HJC.  I'm going to change that, today in the first of a seven part series on mascots, I look at the best mascots in the NHL.

(Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

I'm biased as a Canucks fan, but Fin the Whale has always been my favourite mascot.  However Fin would probably make this list even if the Canucks were my least favourite team, because Fin has a cool trick up his sleeve, he's able to blow steam out of his blowhole.  I've always thought that was awesome, but besides that I think he's a good mascot overall.  An anthropomorphic orca could of been tricky, but the Canucks made it work.

(Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

A list of best mascots wouldn't be complete without Harvey the Hound.  He was the first mascot in the NHL, and one of the most well known due to his run in with Craig MacTavish where MacTavish yanked out Harvey's tongue.  I also like how he doesn't wear a team jersey, especially now since the Flames jerseys aren't that nice.  It's a unique look that makes Harvey special.

(Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Capital's mascot Slapshot makes this list even though he doesn't have a cool trick like Fin, or a unique history like Harvey.  I just like the look of Slapshot, he looks tough without looking scary, and he doesn't just look like a birds head on a human body.  Plus he doesn't have a big beer belly like a lot of other mascots do.

(Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)

Wildwing isn't the prettiest mascot around, it almost looks like there are pillows strapped to his legs, but how could I exclude mascot who worked his way onto the front of an NHL jersey.  Yes it was an awful jersey mostly because Wildwing was on it, but it was still a remarkable achievement.  I also have to give Wildwing credit for surviving a stunt that went wrong and caught him on fire.

Do you agree or disagree with my choices?  Let us know which mascots are your favourite in the comments.