Kudos to the NHL for offering much more than what was promised on the schedule for the 2024 Mascot Showdown! Besides the 4 games that were spread over 4 days, most of the mascots took ample time to mingle with the fans after the games, despite being exhausted after a fierce, but friendly competition. Especially the Florida Panthers mascot, Stanley C. Panther was unlike anyone else in that matter, often hanging around for over 20 minutes, patiently taking time for all the hugs, photos, and autographs and going the extra mile for some of his most special fans, including for me! Others, such as Gnash, Victor E. Green and Stormy would stop by Holly Preston's reading of her cute "NHL Mascots & Friends" book, and there were also spontaneous appearances at the Upper Deck booth or on the con floor and the street hockey rinks. And then there was Gritty, who had his very own security person with him and was too popular to freely roam the event spaces.
Being so incredibly close to these mascots made me feel like a 5 years old child, still believing in the magic, while at the same time being fascinated about what goes bringing these cuddly characters to life. There's nothing like witnessing a mascot interacting with a young child, transporting it for a brief moment into a world of fantasy and make-believe, where huggable, soft Florida panthers and saber-tooth tigers come alive, like right out of a bedtime story! All the smiles and high-fives made me so happy to see - it's the most magical thing about mascotting!
Special thanks to Stanley C. Panther - who holds a very, very special place in my heart - for taking so much care for me. After he'd took me by his paw and walked out of the convention center together with me, I definitely had to shed some tears of pure joy before we had to part ways and say goodbye for the next few months before we'll meet again.
For almost two decades, Stanley C. Panther has a very special place in my heart as he went great lengths to make sure to provide me with some extra magical moments. Back in 2006, I came from Switzerland to attend a Panthers game during my Florida vacation - and randomly met Stanley - without even knowing before that a mascot would be present. I had no idea about mascots as mascotting isn’t that big in my country. That random moment of meeting Stanley C. Panther would have a lasting impact on me. I was born with a birth defect called Congenital Varicella Syndrome that has relying me on a feeding tube. Up until 2014, this condition caused me to be bedridden for up to 150 days a year. During this time, after my 1st visit to a Panthers game, I began to research about Stanley C. Panther and mascots in general and found out what they do in the community. Watching Stanley’s heartwarming content that often had him visit little kids in hospitals, do charity work or attend birthday parties, helped me smile during a difficult and dark time of my life. That‘s why he‘s so special to me, that‘s why I‘m so thankful for what he does to me & others! Thank you so much, Stanley, for all these little magical moments, the joy and smiles you spread to me during this weekend! You are truly South Florida’s Coolest Cat! Let’s Go PANTHERS!
I seriously hope the NHL will bring back the Mascot Showdown for the 2026 All-Star Game at least, if not for the 2025 4 Nations Tournament. It'd be a shame to see this event gone for good after 9 years of only getting better and better!
Contents of this video:
00:00 Various Mascots on Red Carpet & Street Hockey Rink
00:47 Wild Wing (Anaheim Ducks)
02:17 Sparky (New York Islanders)
04:02 Hunter (Edmonton Oilers)
04:51 Bailey (Los Angeles Kings)
05:12 Gnash (Nashville Predators)
08:33 Stanley C. Panther (Florida Panthers)
16:06 Holly Preston reading "NHL Mascots & Friends" book
Video shot, edited & uploaded by Reto Kurmann with additional footage provided by my friend Mollie, aka Gale Frostbane, during the 2024 NHL Mascot Showdown at the NHL Fan Fair, part of the All-Star Weekend, February 1-4, 2024 at the Metro Toronto Convention Center South Building in Toronto, ON, Canada.
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