Stormy is the mascot of the Carolina Hurricanes. He is an anthropomorphic ice hog, who wears the number 97 (shortened for 1997- the year when the Hartford Whalers moved to North Carolina to play their first game). The reason for a hog mascot is because of the abundance of hog farms in eastern North Carolina. One of the primary figures in bringing the Hurricanes to North Carolina originally wanted to name the team the "Ice Hogs". While that idea was scratched, the ice hog was worked into the team through Stormy.