The St. Louis Blues adopted a yellow lab puppy to be their team mascot for the season, and the Internet has all the feels.
Amidst a difficult season, tempers have often flared in the Blues locker room. According to Sports Illustrated , this moment occurred at Monday’s practice:
So the team brought in “The Cooler”. Two months after his adoption, Barclay was allowed to take part in team training sessions at the St. Louis Community Ice Center last Thursday, and the hardened NHL hockey players took to his adorable antics immediately, according to ABC Chicago . Barclay has since been spotted on the ice at team practices, fetching pucks and sticks while enjoying the daily skate with his new teammates.
When Barclay was introduced to the fans as the team’s 2018-19 mascot via the team’s Twitter account, everyone lost their collective mind with his perpetual displays of adorable cuteness.
Some fans have suggested they would like Barclay to become a new member of the team:
Forget hockey. We’ll pay money just to see this for the rest of the season.
— Robert Thomas the Tank Engine (@RobThomTheTank) December 13, 2018
While others think that he should at least get his own Twitter account:
When is Barclay honing to get his own Twitter????
— Nathan Cook (@NathanCook20) December 13, 2018
While others are newly conflicted about their feelings regarding this season’s team:
Me being mad at this team but also watching this good boy! pic.twitter.com/iAaeYZQhJg
— Tony Eichenlaub (@ike_tony) December 13, 2018
The Blues players have enjoyed the diversion from the daily grind of a long season, and have let Barclay frolic around the ice during practice breaks, even though Barclay is still confused about the rules of fetch.
Penalty: Barclay Two minutes for holding the stick #stlblues pic.twitter.com/DIwKLS72Av
— St. Louis Blues (@StLouisBlues) December 13, 2018
Following Barclay’s warm reception from the fans, the team created an Instagram account for him:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BqXoIvNDav_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Following Barclay’s rousing success, rival teams have started picking up the trend:
Barclay is so cute ? I’d like to meet @CanadiensMTL dog ?!!!! pic.twitter.com/InySB9aMMl
— xDebra Gordon ??? (@Donniesdeva) December 13, 2018
Barclay, who was born in September, was adopted by the Blues in October from Duo, an organization that trains and places service dogs. Barclay will be raised and socialized by the Blues front office this season before entering training to become a service dog. After undergoing that 18-month training, Barclay will be sent to his forever home, where he will serve as an assistance dog for a child with autism.
“For the next 18 months, the puppy will undergo basic obedience training, as well as social and environmental stimulations to help it develop into a secure, self-confident, working dog for a future Duo client. As “puppy raisers,” the Blues will host the pup in the front office and at home games to assist it in developing its necessary socialization needs,” the St. Louis Blues stated on the NHL website.
If Barclay is half the success as a service dog that he is as a team mascot, he will make for a great companion.
