Paul Bissonnette-Kraken mascot beef comes to a head on NHL on TNT set

The biggest brawl during the 2024 Winter Classic happened on the NHL on TNT set.

During the NHL on TNT Intermission Report, the NHL analyst and former enforcer Paul Bissonnette came to blows with Seattle Kraken mascot “Buoy”. The scrap culminates a beef that’s been brewing since the day Buoy was born.

The Seattle Kraken introduced their first-ever mascot during the preseason of the team’s 2022-2023 season. Inspired by the Fremont Troll, Bissonnette didn’t take kindly to the Kraken’s new representative.

“If the goal is making the ugliest mascot of all time, they accomplished it,” Bissonnette said on an episode of the podcast Spittin’ Chiclets. “I’m not crazy about it. I’m sure we’re gonna have a couple run-ins now that I said that. I’d like to see [Philadelphia Flyers mascot] Gritty pound his face in.”

That sparked a beef between Buoy and Bissonette that would spill into the 2023 season.

As billed, Bissonnette backed up his trash talk at the Winter Classic Monday night. When the NHL on TNT desk started talking about the matchup between the Kraken and Vegas Golden Knights, Bissonnette pivoted to announce he would serve “that bastard” a restraining order if he “had the balls” to approach him.

“I got it right here; I’m going to serve him if he ever comes over here. If he has the balls to, come over here and show his face. Buoy, this is a restraining order. Don’t come near me today.”

When Buoy finally appeared on camera, Bissonette continued, “Get the cuffs on him. If he’s here, who’s robbing all the liquor stores?”

The title fight finally arrived during intermission, and it didn’t disappoint.

One of the more fun desks in professional sports continues to make hockey coverage as fun as it deserves to be. Hopefully, we get a rematch soon.