MONTREAL – It's time to vote Youppi!.
On Monday, USA TODAY Sports unveiled its list of nominees for Best NHL Mascot in the latest edition of its Readers’ Choice Awards program, and the iconic Canadiens character figures among the 20 candidates.
Fans can vote for Youppi! by clicking here until Monday, Sept. 14 at 11:59 a.m. ET. The top 10 winners, as voted by fans online, will be announced on Wednesday, Sept. 23 at noon ET.
The Habs mascot is no stranger to honors of course, having been the first representative from a Canadian team to be voted to the Mascot Hall of Fame in December 2019—not to mention the first mascot to ever switch between two major sports leagues in North America after joining the Canadiens from the Montreal Expos in 2005.
More recently, it’s been a busy summer for Youppi!, who starred in a viral video for the Montreal Jazz Festival while dressed as Klek from Angine de Poitrine in June, and has also been spotted partying with music fans at festivals on Parc Jean Drapeau throughout August.
In fact, Montreal figured in all four NHL categories, with the Bell Centre, Bell Centre food, and the city all nominated in the Best NHL Arena, Best NHL Arena Food, and Best NHL City categories, respectively.
For more information about the nominations for Youppi!, the Bell Centre, and Montreal, and to vote, click here.
