Youppi! nominated for Best NHL Mascot in USA Today Sports Readers' Choice Awards
Montreal's iconic mascot is among 20 contenders; fans can vote online until September 14, with top 10 announced September 23.
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Montreal Canadiens mascot Youppi! is among 20 nominees for Best NHL Mascot in USA TODAY Sports' Readers' Choice Awards. Fans can vote online until September 14 at 11:59 a.m. ET, with the top 10 mascots announced September 23.
Youppi! was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2019, becoming the first representative from a Canadian team to receive the honour. The iconic character has been a fixture of Montreal sports culture for decades.
Montreal also received nominations in three other NHL categories this year: the Bell Centre is nominated for Best NHL Arena and Best NHL Arena Food, while Montreal itself is nominated for Best NHL City. Fans can vote for all four nominees on the USA TODAY Sports website.
The facts
When can fans vote for Youppi! in the USA Today Sports awards?
Fans can vote online until September 14, 2026 at 11:59 a.m. ET.
When will the top 10 mascots be announced?
The top 10 mascots will be announced on September 23, 2026.
How many nominees are there for Best NHL Mascot?
There are 20 nominees for Best NHL Mascot.
When was Youppi! inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame?
Youppi! was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2019, becoming the first representative from a Canadian team to receive the honour.
