John Hayden and the Kraken Mascot Had a Close Encounter with a Grizzly Bear
Seattle Kraken forward John Hayden and the team’s mascot, Buoy, experienced a moment of tension during a promotional shoot in Alaska. The incident involved a grizzly bear and generated great anticipation. Hayden and Buoy were on a fly fishing trip in Katmai National Park, as part of a trip to promote youth hockey. The encounter with the bear was recorded in a video shared by the team. In the video, Hayden and Buoy can be seen, both equipped with fishing gear, in the middle of a shallow river. While Hayden was fishing, a guide quickly removed the rod from him. The bear, which lunged towards the pet splashing water, finally veered off before making contact. Hayden, Buoy, and the film crew retreated towards the shore, walking through the current. The NHL team clarified that they did not intend to involve the bear in the filming. However, the incident was included in a video posted on X. Grizzly bears are common in the area, especially near Brooks Falls, where they feed on salmon. The event organizers had hired guides to ensure safety.Hayden joked about the incident in the video, attributing the bear’s behavior to Buoy’s appearance. The meeting took place on June 25th, as part of an annual trip organized by the Bristol Bay Native Corporation in Anchorage, Alaska, with events promoting youth ice hockey. Alaska does not have its own NHL team; the closest teams are in Seattle and Vancouver, Canada.“The bears are everywhere in Brooks Falls and, this is their territory. They are also very used to seeing humans. So I wasn’t scared”.
Melissa O’Brochta, Director of Marketing Partnerships for the Kraken, who also recorded the encounter.
