Seattle Kraken

The Seattle Kraken officially have a mascot and it was certainly not the one hockey fans were expecting. On Saturday, during the team's preseason game ...

But hey, at least Buoy is having fun with hockey fans on Twitter already. — straight out of the Trolls doll collection from the 1990s. The news came as a surprise to many, not just because the Kraken are only in their second year as a franchise, but also because the team’s mascot isn’t a sea creature of some kind.

Ahoy! Meet Buoy, the Seattle Kraken's six-foot tall blue sea troll who was unveiled at Saturday's preseason game.

Buoy was inspired by the Fremont Troll and is a big fan of the Seattle music scene!" "Over the last two years we worked to develop Buoy’s unique identity that captured the look and feel of the Kraken brand while being kid-friendly and approachable," said Lamont Buford, vice president of entertainment experience and production of the Kraken. "We are rooted in the local community and everything we do is inspired by the wonderful place we live.

The NHL's Seattle Kraken have unveiled their new mascot, a troll who inspired by a local landmark and named Buoy.

Turns out, it’s also a tip of the cap to a local landmark. Why a troll and not a mystical, tentacled monster like the team is named after? I see shades of Gritty in Buoy. “One of the brand values is its mystery. Buoy doesn’t have as much Muppet DNA as Gritty, but they do share wild hair. We don’t want to be a cartoon brand and to have a cartoon Kraken represent us.”