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The Philadelphia Flyers haven’t had a hockey mascot since the 1970s, so when the team revealed Gritty, fans didn’t know what to make of him. A hairy orange creature with googly eyes and a fat belly doesn’t really scream sports, but his actions on the ice make people fall in love with him.
Gritty – a mix of Chewbacca and a muppet
Mascots are usually a result of tradition or an organization’s desperate attempt for attention. In any case, they aren’t nearly as popular outside the arena as they are in it. Along came Gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers new mascot who captivated everyone inside and out. Scary and weird-looking at first, Gritty warms up to the heart with his antics, gestures and most of all, his goofy eyes. As ESPN writer Greg Wyshynski said:
“It’s pretty much the most incredible NHL debut since Auston Matthews scored four goals in his first game.”
Not everyone is in love with this muppet imitation, though.
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“Gritty embodies the void-staring, maniacal nihilism that Flyers fans must feel after a 43-year cup drought.”
“I really want to know more about the wacky, possibly disturbed corner of some Flyers marketing person’s brain from whence he [Gritty] came.”
That’s exactly the point. Gritty is so popular not because of how he looks, but because he divides opinion. He gives people a topic of conversation to discuss. The more they disagree, the more they talk. The more they talk, the more popular Gritty becomes. Sure, he is a desperate bid for viral attention, but isn’t that the whole point of a mascot?
NHL Mascots Ranking
While you devour what you just read and saw, we present you with a list of the popular NHL mascots as ranked by ESPN.
1. Bailey the lion (Los Angeles Kings)
2. Gnash the sabretooth tiger (Nashville Predators)
- S.J. Sharkie (San Jose Sharks)
- Iceburgh (Pittsburgh Penguins)
- Gritty (Philadelphia Flyers)
- Harvey the hound (Calgary Flames)
- Youppi! (Montreal Canadiens)
8. Sabretooth (Buffalo Sabres) - Wild Wing (Anaheim Ducks)
- N.J. Devil (New Jersey Devils)
- Stormy (Carolina Hurricanes)
- Thunderbug (Tampa Bay Lightning)
13. Fin the whale (Vancouver Canucks)
14. Slapshot (Washington Capitals) - Louie the bear (St. Louis Blues)
16. Carlton the bear (Toronto Maple Leafs) - Blades the bear (Boston Bruins)
- Howler the coyote (Arizona Coyotes)
- Mick E. Moose (Winnipeg Jets)
- Stanley C. Panther (Florida Panthers)
- Stinger (Columbus Blue Jackets)
- Tommy Hawk (Chicago Blackhawks)
- Spartacat (Ottawa Senators)
- Sparky the dragon (New York Islanders)
- Bernie the St. Bernard (Colorado Avalanche)
26. Chance the Gila monster (Vegas Golden Knights) - Nordy (Minnesota Wild)
28. Victor E. Green (Dallas Stars)
29. Hunter (Edmonton Oilers)
*The New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings don’t have mascots