he Seattle Kraken is a professional ice hockey team based in Seattle, Washington. The team is a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Hockey League (NHL). The Kraken will play their home games at the Climate Pledge Arena, which is currently under construction. The team was established in 2021 and is scheduled to begin playing in the 2021-2022 NHL season. The team's name, the Seattle Kraken, was announced on July 23, 2020. The Kraken is a mythical sea creature often depicted as a giant octopus or squid.
Meet Buoy the Troll, the first-ever Seattle Kraken mascot
As the Seattle Kraken worked their way through their inaugural season, there were many firsts for the franchise.
There was their first game in Las Vegas, there was their first goal by Ryan Donato, there was their first home game at Climate Pledge Arena and prior to the season, there was their first draft pick in Matty Beniers.
But missing from Seattle Kraken games was a mascot.
Well, at their latest preseason game on Saturday night against the Vancouver Canucks, the Seattle Kraken introduced their first mascot, Buoy the Troll.
Leading up to the reveal, the Kraken released a video of three children video chatting with local Seattle sports players such as Paul Sewald of the Mariners and Breanna Stewart of the Storm about what the team’s mascot should be. Eventually, the thought was the mascot should be based around one of the city of Seattle’s top landmarks.
Enter Buoy the Troll, who is named after the Fremont Troll under the Aurora Bridge.
“We are proud to introduce Buoy and mark another milestone moment for the Seattle Kraken,” Katie Townsend, Kraken chief marketing officer, said in a press release. “We are rooted in the local community and everything we do is inspired by the wonderful place we live. Buoy was inspired by the Fremont Troll and is a big fan of the Seattle music scene!”
Buoy, as you’d imagine, shares many of the same colors as the Seattle Kraken’s jerseys, and also has an earring with the team’s secondary logo, an anchor modeled after the space needle. And, per the Kraken, Buoy has “hockey-flow-style hair” and “a removable tooth.”
“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 Seattle Kraken. “Buoy’s hair is a nod to hockey flow and the waves of Puget Sound. You’ll notice there is a removable tooth just like a hockey player, an anchor earring for our secondary mark and then a mysterious tentacle indicating an encounter with the Kraken. Buoy is so much fun and I look forward to everyone meeting the newest member of our team.”
Fans can meet Buoy for the first time on Sunday at the Kraken Community Iceplex. To follow Buoy on Instagram, use the handle @NHLbuoy. For Twitter and TikTok, use @SEABuoy.
Seattle Kraken unveils 'Buoy,' a six-foot tall sea troll as new mascot
The Seattle Kraken unveiled their new mascot Buoy on Oct. 1, 2022, and said it was inspired by the Fremont Troll.
SEATTLE, Wash. — The Seattle Kraken unveiled their new mascot Saturday evening. "Buoy," is a six-foot-tall blue sea troll living in the caverns of Climate Pledge Arena.
Officials with the NHL's 32nd Franchise said they wanted to pick a mascot that was "distinctly Seattle," and that Buoy is inspired by the Fremont Troll, a 32-year-old Seattle landmark that's visited by thousands of people every year.
“We are proud to introduce Buoy and mark another milestone moment for the Seattle Kraken,” said Katie Townsend, chief marketing officer. “We are rooted in the local community and everything we do is inspired by the wonderful place we live. Buoy was inspired by the Fremont Troll and is a big fan of the Seattle music scene!”
The Fremont Troll is a sculpture designed in 1989 and has been featured in films such as The Twilight Saga and Sleepless in Seattle.
The debut comes after 18 months of development and a week of teaser videos, preparing fans for the big reveal. The Kraken team worked with Chicago Mascot Company and 3PT Productions to develop Buoy's character.
“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, in a statement. “Buoy’s hair is a nod to hockey flow and the waves of Puget Sound. You’ll notice there is a removable tooth just like a hockey player, an anchor earring for our secondary mark and then a mysterious tentacle indicating an encounter with the Kraken. Buoy is so much fun and I look forward to everyone meeting the newest member of our team.”
Buoy loves hockey and people, Kraken officials said, and will be an active member of the community and cheering the team on at games.
Fans will be able to meet Buoy for the first time Sunday, Oct. 2, before Kraken practice at the Kraken Community Iceplex.
The Hero Who Wears Zero: meet “Buoy,” the new mascot of the Kraken
On a crisp, cool October Saturday night, the descending creature from the rafters of Climate Pledge Arena was not bearing of a sasquatch, or an octopus, or another miscellaneous mythical create bearing tentacles.
This was different. This was a new member to the Seattle hockey family. This was “Buoy,” emerging in the emerald city as the long-awaited introduced mascot of the Seattle Kraken.
“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,” Lamont Buford said in a team statement, who is the team’s vice president of entertainment experience.
Introduced before puck drop on Saturday night’s pre-season game against the Vancouver Canucks, he is a six-foot-one creature in a white Kraken jersey, layered underneath a cascading flow of sea blue hair, accented tentacle accessory, golden anchor logo earring, and another fun fact:
He’s got a detachable tooth. It’s like instant hockey street cred.
Talk about an instant party trick.
Bearing the simplified visual approach with a zero on the back of his jersey, Buoy’s mission comes in complex layers: make a splash at game nights, among the fans, in the community, hockey Twitter, and across the sport’s globe.
He is fun, he is energy-fulfilled, he is controlled chaos. He is the reality of something, according to Kraken officials, local hockey fans wanted for a long time.
“We are rooted in the local community and everything we do is inspired by the wonderful place we live,” Kraken chief marketing officer Katie Townsend said.
Noted by Townsend as a “big fan of the Seattle music scene,” Buoy is the inspiration and nod to a 32-year-old Seattle area landmark, the Fremont Troll, visited by locals and tourists each year. His concept came to life with the brain trust from the Kraken organization, Chicago Mascot Company, and 3PT Productions.
It started 18 months ago, originally with a goal to introduce him to the public by last year before Christmas, a plan that became delayed due to concerns with the spread of the COVID-19 Omicron virus strain, partially responsible in shelving extensive community activities last season with the NHL handling a season full of activity restrictions.
Time passed, and the end result is a fun-loving troll coming to the surface with a face a mother, kid, goaltender, and really, any other mascot could love. He is expected to routinely take the ice at the same time the Kraken emerge during pre-game introductions. He will skate, he will perform dance routines at games, he will likely at times be seen cranking the volume on a portable stereo (according to Kraken officials, will be heard with a blend from grunge rock to tunes from Seattle native and hip hop artist Sir Mix-a-Lot).
His social media accounts across Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok are active, and bookings are already underway for community appearances, aligning with a similar outreach effort as his Flyers counterpart, Gritty. Already, team officials said plans have been made to link with Gritty as a mascot ally, not a foe.
Other mascots? Well, beware. Buoy’s favorite meal, according to the team:
Shark, with a sprig of maple leaf.
Team sources told 93.3 KJR-FM that Buoy is expected to make multiple appearances across the greater Seattle region, including hospitals, Mariners games, and the upcoming National Basketball Association pre-season games scheduled at Climate Pledge Arena.
Fans will also get their first shot at meeting Buoy, up-close and personal on Sunday before the Kraken take the ice for practice, open to the public, at Kraken Community Iceplex.
Buoy can be found on Twitter and TikTok at @SEABuoy and Instagram at @NHLBuoy.
The Kraken is a mythical sea creature often depicted as a giant octopus or squid. The name was chosen through a fan engagement process that saw more than 1,200 unique name ideas submitted. The team's logo features a primary mark that includes the letter "S" shaped to resemble a tentacle, tying back to the Kraken theme.
Before the announcement of the team name, the Seattle Kraken had used a temporary mascot named "Klondike" during their promotional events and appearances. Klondike was a friendly, smiling creature dressed in a blue and teal Kraken costume, with tentacles coming out from either side of its head. Klondike served as a fun and engaging representation of the team before the official name and logo were unveiled. However, with the introduction of the official team name and logo, it is expected that the Seattle Kraken will introduce a new, more permanent mascot to represent the team. This mascot will likely be based on the Kraken theme and will provide a visual representation of the team's identity and branding. The new mascot will likely be seen at games, events, and appearances, adding to the overall fan experience and enhancing the team's presence in the Seattle community. Overall, the Seattle Kraken's old mascot, Klondike, played a temporary role in engaging fans and building excitement for the team before the official name and logo were announced. With the team's identity now firmly established, a new, permanent mascot will likely be introduced to further enhance the team's presence and connection with fans..
Reviews for "The Seattle Kraken's Old Mascot: A Retrospective"
1. John - 1 star
The old mascot of the Seattle Kraken was highly disappointing. It lacked creativity and originality. The design seemed rushed and poorly thought out. The mascot failed to evoke any sense of excitement or engagement. Overall, it was a letdown and did not do justice to the team and its fans.
2. Sarah - 2 stars
I was not impressed with the old mascot for the Seattle Kraken. It felt generic and uninspiring. The colors and design lacked vibrancy and uniqueness. It was hard to connect with the mascot and feel any sense of enthusiasm for the team. The old mascot definitely needed a major overhaul to better represent the spirit of the Kraken franchise.
3. Michael - 1.5 stars
The previous mascot of the Seattle Kraken failed to capture the imagination. It appeared cartoonish and lacked a strong identity. The design did not reflect the fierce and powerful nature of a mythical sea creature like the Kraken. It left much to be desired and did not resonate with fans. A more creative and captivating mascot is needed to truly embody the spirit of the team.