Seattle Kraken forward John Hayden and team mascot Buoy were being filmed in nature during an annual event in Alaska when nature decided to interrupt.
Video posted on the social media feed of Buoy, a troll, showed that a large bear appeared on the shoreline near Brooks Falls in Katmai National Park and began approaching, causing everyone to scatter.
The bear can be heard growling, and at one point charges toward the mascot before turning around. Bears are known sometimes to make bluff charges.
True to the mascot code, Buoy makes no sound while wading quickly away from the animal.
‘I want to blame it on Buoy,’ said Hayden, who re-signed for two years with the Kraken in May. ‘They were pretty interested in his whole look. We got out of it OK, but it was a close call.’
Hayden was fly fishing as part of an annual Bristol Bay Native Corp partnership trip with the Kraken. It includes “Kraken Week” at a hockey camp hosted by Anchorage Hockey Academy, an outdoor excursion (where the bear encounter occurred) and a community event, a ‘Skate with Buoy’ at a local mall rink.
This story has been updated to add new information.
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