Fansided

Which NHL mascot would you want with you in a bar fight?

By Dane Quinn

TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 28: Carolina Hurricanes' mascot Stormy avoids the stick-check by Arizona Coyotes' mascot Howler the Coyote during the mascot game prior to the NHL All-Star Game on January 28, 2018, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL - JANUARY 28: Carolina Hurricanes' mascot Stormy avoids the stick-check by Arizona Coyotes' mascot Howler the Coyote during the mascot game prior to the NHL All-Star Game on January 28, 2018, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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TAMPA, FL – JANUARY 28: Tampa Bay Lightning mascot Thunderbug carries the puck through neutral ice in the mascot game prior to the NHL All-Star Game on January 28, 2018, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
TAMPA, FL – JANUARY 28: Tampa Bay Lightning mascot Thunderbug carries the puck through neutral ice in the mascot game prior to the NHL All-Star Game on January 28, 2018, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

23. Thunderbug (Tampa Bay Lightning)

The Tampa Bay Lightning have struck countless times this year. They lead the National Hockey League in goals, with 3.58 per game. The loaded roster is led by Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov. For all the right the organization has done on the ice, there is plenty of awful off the ice.

The Lightning have one of the best uniforms in all of sports. The Tampa Bay Blue, White and Black prove to be a perfect combination. So, it’s a head-scratcher they decided to have a giant firefly roam their arena as their official mascot.

We all caught fireflies as a kid and placed them in a jar and poked holes in the lid. Do you think anyone would be threatened if a firefly showed up to assist you in a bar fight? Unless you are a fan of the Boston Bruins, it’s extremely unlikely.

In 2012, Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times reported that Thunderbug sprayed a Bruins’ fan with silly string. This caused the fan to get up and shove the mascot to the ground. This clearly proves Thunderbug shouldn’t be involved in a bar fight. The man behind the mask was actually a woman. Kelly Frank was terminated after the altercation. This wasn’t the first time Kelly found herself in some mascot trouble. She was relieved of her duties as “Raymond” by the crosstown Tampa Bay Rays of the MLB. Whether it’s a male or female, Thunderbug should remain focused on rooting for its favorite hockey team.

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