AHL Mascot's Backstory Totally Includes A Dead Firefighter [Update]

Via Puck Daddy, this is Scorch. He's the newly revealed mascot of the AHL's Adirondack Flames. He was probably purchased a local Halloween superstore. But his shoddy construction and uninspiring photoshoot locations are probably the least problematic thing about him.

Adirondack is a Calgary affiliate, hence the team name and the general mascot conception. There's even a bit of backstory to tie him to the area:

He is the lone surviving flame from the fire that destroyed much of Glens Falls in 1864.

Scorch was supposedly a smoldering ember in Bride and Gown, which was originally Calvin Robbin's blacksmith shop (one of the few buildings in the Glens Falls business district to survive the fire).

Scorch the Flame then overpowered a firefighter, showing his strength.

Wait. What?

Yeah, that's a dead firefighter. Kids will love Scorch!

Update: The Flames have released a statement apologizing for Scorch's unveiling. Part of that statement, from team president Brian Petrovek:

On behalf of our entire organization we want to apologize for our thoughtlessness today. We have obviously turned something good, the launch of a mascot which we will use to entertain and encourage young fans, into something that is in poor taste. That was not our intention and again we apologize.

We would like to emphasize that we as an organization take seriously the dangers associated with fire, understand its potentially devastating effects and acknowledge that those in our nation who are called upon to face and fight fires on a daily basis are truly heroes.