Musical Chairs - 2024 NHL Mascot Showdown - NHL All-Star Weekend - Toronto

[@IorekByrnison086]

Wow. Thrilling game with the mascots. Love it, made my terrible day a good one. Thanks for posting it.

[@emily91303]

I feel proud 🥲 when Carlton became the valuable hockey 🥅 mascot for 2024.

[@jeniasmackay7931]

SOOOO PROUD OF YOU HUNTER!!!!! I got a sweet pic with him at a game!

[@KitwanaLion]

Hunter flashed his abs and muscles underneath his jersey during the Mascot Skills on Friday. Man, he's one hot-looking cat! Love him - and that's from a Florida Panthers Stanley C. Panther fan!

[@jeniasmackay7931]

@@KitwanaLion Sweet! Cats stick together!!

[@KitwanaLion]

@@jeniasmackay7931 Absolutely, feline mascots RULE! My 2nd favorite besides Stanley is clearly Gnash and Bailey is really cool as well!

[@laurakruk4692]

Thanks for posting these videos! I wasn’t able to watch ANY of these events live! My STUPID local sports channel was airing other events such as minior league hockey, tennis, golf, as well as various NBA, WPHL and NFL matches!

[@KitwanaLion]

That may have to do with legal reasons, as the event was held in Canada this year. That also prevent a lot of the usual (in)-official NHL mascot social media content creators from appearing there (think: Working permits and stuff) so I was one of the very few and had to film from the regular crowd areas for as good as I could.

[@laurakruk4692]

@@KitwanaLion The strange thing is that I live in Montreal, Quebec Canada and it was NEVER broadcasted! My local sports station is the French sibling of “TSN/ESPN.”

[@KitwanaLion]

Are you talking about the actual All-Star Game? If that wasn't broadcast in one of the hockey hotspots of the world, then the NHL really has a serious problem with their All-Star weekend. Less TV coverage means less money - and I think they're starting to realize that, now that there'll be no All-Star Weekend in 2025 and then afterwards in a reduced frequency, alternating with the 4 Nations Cup and the Winter Olympics.

[@laurakruk4692]

@@KitwanaLion Yes, everything that’s related too!

[@edwardrosemond7169]

Let’s Go YALL!

[@mousepaws]

Get well soon my buddy! *HUUUUUUUUUUUG*

[@Trianglesinmotion]

Bro Tommy Hawk always shoots the confetti gun😂

[@ColumbusCrewSCFan]

The cute lynx Hunter won!

[@master_Shark981]

You spoiled it

[@KitwanaLion]

To be exactly, he won in his Division. Overall winner of the game was Carlton.

[@ColumbusCrewSCFan]

@@master_Shark981I rot it

[@Zele6837]

Looks like everyone had fun!

[@KitwanaLion]

Definitely an experience for life, being so close to all the mascots and getting to interact with some of them. NHL mascots have helped making me smile so much when I needed it and I continue to be inspired until today and not lose my child-like imagination whenever I have the privilege to hang with them!

[@Zele6837]

I can’t wait for 2026’s.

[@KitwanaLion]

@@Zele6837 If they decide to bring the Mascot Showdown back. There's no infrastructure on Long Island for the Showdown and the Fan Fair. We'll see!

[@kinggoldenfursuitter7309]

My favorite cute lynx hunter I am glad he won and he is my top one favorite nhl mascot kitwana 😊

[@KitwanaLion]

Hunter is among my favorites as well. At one point during the Skills Comp, he showed his abs and muscles underneath his jersey and, boy... what a good-looking cat he is!

[@kinggoldenfursuitter7309]

@@KitwanaLion yes

[@RR-vh9st]

This is adorable

[@kyzer1996]

Hooray!

[@HaydenU]

Thanks for posting these videos! I wonder why Stormy wasn't playing -- maybe he had to fly back to Raleigh early.

[@KitwanaLion]

Not even my contacts into the NHL mascots world were able to figure out what happened. It may have been a personal issue that required his performer to depart early, or a costume problem combined with time constraints to fly in a backup performer and/or costume. We hope all is well with Stormy.

[@Cameron24-m1y]

Hey Kitwana Lion are you going to the 2025 all star game events for the NHL also where are the events going to happen

[@KitwanaLion]

The NHL has announced there'll be no All-Star Weekend and therefore likely no Mascot Showdown in 2025 due to the 4 Nations Faceoff Tournament that'll be held in Boston and Toronto. The next NHL All-Star Weekend will take place in late-January 2026, immediately before the Winter Olympics. It will be hosted by the New York Islanders at UBS Arena in Elmont, NY. At this time, it is unknown whether the Mascot Showdown will be back, since Long Island lacks any convention spaces suitable for the Fan Fair and the Mascot Showdown. However, I can't see them not doing anything with the mascots. Likely not as big as in Toronto, but in general, I do plan to attend all future Mascot Showdown events, so I will very likely be in NY in early 2026.

[@Cameron24-m1y]

@@KitwanaLion I am going to the 2026 all star events for the NHL but I am suprised that the Mascot showdown can’t be at the Long Island Ducks stadium

[@KitwanaLion]

@@Cameron24-m1y The problem with that is that it would be outdoors - and January is not a good time to be outdoors in that corner of the world. There's the Belmont Park horserace track right next to UBS Arena that has plenty of space, but again, it's all outdoors. It didn't even work out in Florida when the 2023 Mascot Showdown was right ON the beach in Fort Lauderdale. I was there when they had to cancel the entire Saturday programming because of a rainstorm. I don't see them having the Fan Fair & Mascot Showdown in Manhattan (Javits Center!) either, because that's Rangers territory. We'll see, what they'll come up with. The NHL press release did mention "Pre- and post-game festivities at The Park at UBS Arena", which is rather small outdoor park on the arena premises. If they expand a bit into the VIP parking lots of the arena, it could hold the rink needed for the Mascot Showdown - but again, it'd be outdoors.

[@BedBreaker07]

Where is fin?

[@KitwanaLion]

Watch from 9:40, he's there with his Pacific Division friends!

[@hayleywaalen2612]

Nordy got a closeup

[@KitwanaLion]

Nordy is a fun character, very huggable:) He saw my huge 24" Stanley C. Panther plush that I had placed right on the boards against the net and that made for some fun interactions!

[@hayleywaalen2612]

@@KitwanaLion In fact, He's my favorite alongside the other Minnesota mascots because I am from Wisconsin (Even though I was born in Minnesota)

[@Cameron24-m1y]

Kitwana Lion is Jazz bear the mascot of the Utah hockey club going to be at the next one

[@KitwanaLion]

The Jazz Bear currently serves as an interim mascot for the Utah Hockey Club and that's planned to be limited to the current season only. Starting with next season, the UHC is supposed to have their own mascot ready, which will likely be a Yeti. Since there's no NHL Mascot Showdown scheduled for 2025 (next All-Star Game takes places in January 2026, hosted by the NY Islanders), I don't think we'll ever see the Jazz Bear appearing at any NHL Mascot Showdown, instead UHC's actual, yet-to-be-revealed mascot will be ready for the 2026 event.

[@Sgt_Johvi_The_2nd]

Ah yes, the NHL Mascot Musical Chairs game my favorite: Number 1 Rule: *DON’T MOVE THE CHAIR AN INCH*

[@gildasgros9663]

the only title Toronto can win

[@KitwanaLion]

Tbh, even I as a proud Panthers fan feel with you! And, shhh..., it's usually the hosting mascot that gets the MVM award. Stanley C. Panther was the 2023 MVM, right before Carlton.

[@Jinxthelynx]

Oh how fun love musical chairs🎉 >jinxthelynx