Saxophone Squirtle is the Most Important Thing in the NHL Right Now
The intersection of gaming and sports is typically relegated to digital facsimiles, such as your Maddens, your NBA 2Ks, or yourESPN NFL Footballs(haha nah, not that last one). Occasionally, video games invade the real thing, and right now, the fate of the Winnipeg Jets rests on the unlikely shoulders of a Pokemon.
TheSquirtle Saxophoneanimation began its humble journey on TikTok in late November 2023, courtesy of the user merme.lada. It depicts the belovedWater-Type turtlejamming on a saxophone to the tune of SunStroke Project’s Run Away. You may better remember this song as the genesis behind 2010’s Epic Sax Guy meme, and if you don’t, you’re probably too young to be reading this article. Maybego play some Robloxor something, instead.
The animation made a surprise cameo a few weeks later at an NHL match hosted by the Winnpieg Jets, when the graphic appeared on the Jumbotron in an effort to encourage the crowd to make some noise.
dudes will see this and go hell yeahpic.twitter.com/7TYHugw9KH
The conclusion was a victory for Winnipeg, and a delighted fanbase lauding the jazzy Pokemon as the MVP. In the time since, the Jets have continued displaying the graphic during their home games, going 9-1-1 during that stretch and surging from playoff contenders to one of the league’s best teams.
As a result, Squirtle has become a de facto mascot for Winnipeg fans, adorning theJets Reddit pageand spawning no shortage of tributes ranging from reverent to downright antagonistic.
since this guy is getting pretty popular around winnipeg i decided to draw him!#NHLJets#SquirtleSaxGangpic.twitter.com/bQGHxtUIIP
Billy, this is Squirtle. He’s a Pokémon. He’s one of the most undervalued components at a Jets game. His quirk is that he plays a saxophone.pic.twitter.com/bHRCTgal7Y
Slyšeli jsme, že na X náš Squirtle docela frčí.. 👀Tenhle týpek se k nám připletl už v O2 Aréně na zápase proti Finsku. Znovu se objevil v Göteborgu, kde ho před zápasem odpálil@Kulda151, což nám dost možná odneslo štěstíčko.. 🍀pic.twitter.com/Mvh3FwAyiI
Though the Jets aren’t even the originators of the idea — the earliest example I could find of Squirtle appearing during a sporting event was a December 16thNBA game, where perhaps not coincidentally the hometown San Antonio Spurs would snap an 18 game losing streak — it is clear that the Pokemon has found its home in Winnipeg.
Should they carve a path toward their first Stanley Cup victory, this plucky terrapin will undoubtedly become forevermore entrenched in Jets history. Now if only I could convince my Canucks toadopt Bulbasaurand leverage a strategic type advantage…
