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We asked ChatGPT to design Utah’s NHL jersey. Here’s what happened

The Delta Center ice prior to Ryan Smith, co-founder and chairman of Smith Entertainment Group, Ashley Smith, co-founder of Smith Entertainment Group, and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman gathering in Salt Lake City to announce that the NHL would be coming to Utah on Friday, April 18, 2024.
The Delta Center ice prior to Ryan Smith, co-founder and chairman of Smith Entertainment Group, Ashley Smith, co-founder of Smith Entertainment Group, and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman gathering in Salt Lake City to announce that the NHL would be coming to Utah on Friday, April 18, 2024. | Scott G Winterton, Deseret News

Utah officially has an NHL franchise, but it doesn’t yet have a team name.

The Arizona Coyotes name and logo was not included in this week’s blockbuster sale, and new NHL owner Ryan Smith has said he doesn’t want to rush into rolling out new branding.

“As far as the nickname, (Smith Entertainment Group) will take their time with it, even if it means starting next season without new nickname,” according to Pierre LeBrun, who covers hockey for The Athletic, among other sites.

Smith’s comments on branding haven’t stopped Utahns from speculating about where Smith Entertainment Group will eventually land.

Will hockey fans soon be rooting for the Utah Yetis? The Utah Blizzard? The Utah Outlaws?

With the help of ChatGPT, we took our office debate about team branding to a new level and mocked up some jersey options for Smith Entertainment Group to consider.

What will the Utah hockey team be called?

First, we tried out a classic name: the Utah Hockey Team.

The team will almost certainly be called something basic like that for the next year or two.

Then, we had ChatGPT design a Utah Yetis jersey, as well as two others built around an alliterative phrase: the Utah Unicorns and Utah Yuccas.

The kids’ sizes of the Utah Unicorns gear would almost certainly fly off the shelves.

Next, we asked ChatGPT to offer some suggestion’s based on Utah’s unique heritage.

What if the Utah NHL team celebrated the state’s early pioneer settlers or the dinosaurs that once roamed the desert landscape?

Then, we prompted ChatGPT to consider Utah wildlife and present an animal-themed jersey.

It’s idea for the Utah Elk is both intimidating and majestic.

Finally, we couldn’t resist following through with our colleague’s idea to create a jersey that celebrates the one thing that makes Utah truly special: It’s terrible drivers.

Thank you, ChatGPT, for making our dreams come true.