With the Utah Mammoth sporting a prehistoric animal for its mascot, it added heat to the "Ice Age Rivalry" with the Nashville Predators, who have Gnash, a saber-toothed cat, as its mascot. And Gnash wasted zero time letting hockey fans know what he thought of the Mammoth's new mascot, Tusky.
A baby blue prehistoric animal…how original. https://t.co/e9drrlzpVW
— Gnash (@Gnash00) October 16, 2025
And it makes sense for Gnash, since he was here first, while he and Tusky share some similar characteristics, including shades of blue. Gnash also needs to get his team fired up before they face Utah again after losing to the Mammoth 3-2 in overtime on Oct. 11. So starting beef with the NHL's newest mascot isn't a bad place to begin.
And when it comes to mascots, Gnash has quite the track record that Tusky is going to struggle keeping up with. For instance, Gnash has done pendulum swings under the scoreboard, and has landed all-terrain vehicles onto the ice. How many mascots can say that?
Nashville Predators' mascot has set the bar high for the Utah Mammoth's new mascot
Predators broadcasters like Pete Weber have also taken tips from Gnash to improve their game-calling ability. This means Gnash was an expert broadcaster at one time, but he has since taken a vow of silence. He's also known for being a good poker player, meaning he has mastered several distinct skills since he became the Predators' mascot.
That said, he has set the bar high for Tusky, as there aren't many mascots around the NHL who can boast Gnash's credentials. Still, if Tusky catches on quickly of how to showcase his skills and entertain fans, then there could be a major rivalry brewing here between the two mascots.
Their respective teams are already familiar with one another since they have met between three and four times a year dating back to the Mammoth's days as the Arizona Coyotes. That said, there's a heated rivalry going on both on and off the ice.
As the Predators and Mammoth battle it out to try and get the best of one another in a game of hockey, who knows what Gnash and Tusky will have in store for fans when they start trying to one-up each other? That will be a fun storyline to follow.