From Bears to Blue Hair, These 10 NHL Mascots Are Definitely Queer
Images: Instagram (@nordywild); Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images; Instagram (@nhlbuoy)
The National Hockey League's crackdown on LGBTQ+ support is a little ironic, considering just how queer some of their mascots come across...
From furry bears to cryptids with blue hair, these symbols of the league seem to overlap with corners of LGBTQ+ culture. While there may not be any out players in the NHL, here are the mascots that absolutely have our gaydars going off!
Howler, Arizona Coyotes
Coyotes truly are the wolf's gay cousin. And this coyote not only has kind eyes and perfectly groomed fur, but also what might be the world's largest cheek implants.
Bernie, Colorado Avalanche
Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images
Bernie the mascot of the Colorado Avalanche waves a flag as part of pride night
If we were to make a "gayest dogs" list, I would lobby to put St. Bernards near the top. There's a warm and tender feeling that you can only get from them (and elderly lesbian couples living in the Rockies).
Nordy, Minnesota Wild
There's a lot of bear mascots in the NHL, but none of them post as many shirtless pics as Nordy.
At least, we think he's a bear. Hockey fans have long been confused about his identity, which reminds us it's okay to be questioning!
Sparky the Dragon, New York Islanders
Image: Jared Silber/NHLI via Getty Images
New York Islanders mascot Sparky the Dragon in the NHL March during the NYC Pride Parade on June 26, 2022
Not to be confused with the My Little Pony character or the YouTube furry persona.
I mean, come on. His name is Sparky.
Youppi, Montreal Canadiens
Everyone knows a queer ginger who looks exactly like Youppi. You can also find him teaching at any liberal arts college in the Pacific-Northwest, living with his life partner and "fur babies."
Gnash, Nashville Predators
Gnash is the gym gay of NHL mascots. We also get the feeling he would be the type to have "no fats, no femmes, no Asians" in his Grindr profile.
Gritty, Philadelphia Flyers
All tea, all shade — us gays are messy, and there's not a mascot in the NHL that represents chaos better than Gritty.
Like Nordy, Gritty also represents confusion. No one knows what Gritty is, and no one needs to know. What's in Gritty's pants? Doesn't matter. He's not wearing them.
The Devil, New Jersey Devils
We support gay wrongs! And if conservatives want to call LGBTQ+ people the devil for loving who they love, it's about time we reclaim him.
Leaving aside the fact that gays love cryptids, the New Jersey Devil has some fresh facial hair that you can also see with any Freddie Mercury Halloween costume.
Carlton, Toronto Maple Leafs
Any of the bear mascots in the NHL could've made this list just by being bears, but it takes a special type of gay to be a bear named Carlton.
If the Leaf's Carlton was a real person, he would be the heartthrob of every queer news site and stan account online. Here he is dressed as Ken from Barbie, in case you needed more proof.
Buoy, Seattle Kraken
Cryptid? Check. Fashion? Check. Homoerotic friendship with Gritty? Check. Buoy truly hits all the gay mascot boxes.
Not only does Buoy have blue hair, but he's also clearly been watching Drag Race for makeup tips. (I can't blame him. The matching eyebrows and eyeshadow look is fierce!)
