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List of NHL mascots


This is a list of current and former National Hockey League (NHL) mascots, sorted alphabetically.

Al the Octopus 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 one game in the 1995 Playoffs, fans threw forty-five 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.

Now two identical large purple prop octopodes (Al), which are both named after ice manager Al Sobotka, are positioned in Joe Louis Arena for the duration of the playoffs.

Bailey, the mascot of the Los Angeles Kings is a 6-foot lion (6 foot 4 inches with mane included) who wears No. 72 because it is the average temperature in Los Angeles. He was named in honor of Garnet "Ace" Bailey who served Director of Pro Scouting for seven years before dying in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Bailey is the Kings' second mascot, the first was a snow leopard named Kingston in 1990. As of 2015, Kingston had come out of retirement to become the LA Kings' AHL Ontario Reign mascot.


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