WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders to Play January Game as ‘Cobra Chickens’

To paraphrase Wayne from “Letterkenny”: If you got a problem with the Cobra Chickens, you got a problem with me — and I suggest you let that one marinate.

The Western Hockey League’s Prince Albert Raiders announced on Thursday, December 14, that they would rebrand for one game in January 2024 to become the Prince Albert Cobra Chickens — borrowing a popular nickname for Canada geese.

The Raiders only released a primary logo with Thursday’s announcement, but it’s a doozy. Designed by former junior hockey player Taylor Vause, it depicts a Canada goose wearing skates and a green helmet sticking its tongue out. The goose is in front of a gold wedge shape with a red outline, with “COBRA CHICKENS” spelled out on top and around the goose’s wings.

Courtesy Prince Albert Raiders

Alternate logos, jerseys and merchandise will likely be released closer to the game, which will take place against the Saskatoon Blades on January 26 at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert.

There is nothing scarier than being chased by a Cobra Chicken, and these birds will be ready to strike at the end of next month to take on their biggest rivals from Saskatoon.
— Prince Albert Raiders

Photo by Ken Billington / Wikipedia

“Cobra chickens” became a popular nickname for Canada geese thanks to a 2018 tweet from Twitter user @bibliophileq, who recounted a conversation with a colleague who experienced first-hand the birds’ cantankerous, territorial nature.

I work with a guy from Mexico who doesn't speak a lot of English. A Canadian goose made a nest by one of the paddock gates and hissed at him while he was putting horses out. He comes back to us after and says, "I do not like the cobra chicken."
— what the heq (@bibliophileq) June 9, 2018

This isn’t the only sports logo news out of Prince Albert this week. Over the weekend, the Raiders resurrected what was meant to be a one-off jersey design from their 50th anniversary season in 2021-22 and added it to their rotation as an alternate jersey.