During a promotional fly-fishing shoot on a remote Alaskan river, Seattle Kraken mascot Buoy — the sea-troll character beloved by fans — and forward John Hayden faced a real wilderness hazard: a curious grizzly bear charged straight toward them. The video, shared on Buoy’s official account, shows the bear rushing into the water and heading for the mascot before the team quickly exited the scene.
The bear, apparently drawn to the troll’s bright, unusual costume, sparked a tense moment in which neither human nor animal was harmed — but video analysts say it easily could’ve been much worse.
The unexpected encounter happened in coastal Alaska. Hayden later remarked, “I want to blame it on Buoy — they were pretty interested in his whole look.”
The team and mascot were filming near the river when the grizzly emerged from treeline and quickly approached, prompting a hasty retreat.
The Kraken celebrated the ordeal as part of the mascot’s extravagant adventures.
Despite mixed reaction at his 2022 reveal, Buoy has gained traction among younger fans and has become part of virtual feuds and social media banter in the style of famed mascots like Gritty.
While no injuries occurred, the incident underscores the inherent risks that come with filming in uncontrolled environments.