Utah NHL team down to six names after first fan survey. Which ones made the cut?
And then there were six.
The Utah NHL team whittled down its list of 20 original names in a fan survey that drew 520,000 participants and it is putting the remaining names up for another fan vote through June 20.
The remaining names (in alphabetical order): Utah Blizzard, Utah HC (Hockey Club), Utah Mammoth, Utah Outlaws, Utah Venom and Utah Yeti.
The initial vote was for four names, but Smith Entertainment Group, run by Utah Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith, said the six names accounted for 60% of total votes, so all are included in the new survey.
The final name chosen will be used during the 2025-26 season. Next season, the team (consisting of former Arizona Coyotes players) will wear jerseys that say UTAH.
Our preferences (worst to first):
Utah HC
Meh. This seems more like a soccer thing. Even the Smith-owned Major League Soccer team doesn't use it. That team name is Real Salt Lake.
Utah Blizzard
It does reflect the state's mountains and skiing. But better ski-related names were voted out, such as Black Diamonds. If the Blizzard ends up being the name, the team could seek a promotion with Dairy Queen.
Utah Venom
Utah has plenty of animals that are potentially dangerous, including coyotes. The state also has venomous rattlesnakes, black widow spiders and scorpions. Venom imparts a sense of danger, not a bad attribute for a hockey team. A snake might make a good logo. This nickname is getting there.
Utah Outlaws
Butch Cassidy was born in Utah and his Wild Bunch gang sometimes holed up in the so-called Robbers Roost in southeastern Utah. The name also imparts danger and has potential for a creative logo and mascot.
Utah Mammoth
Mammoths lived in Utah along the shores of the ancient Lake Bonneville that covered a big portion of the state. Remains have been found in the area. There's a potential for a good logo there and also for kid-friendly merchandise.
Utah Yeti
The alliteration is nice, though yeti technically are a Himalayan legend. Some have claimed to have seen bigfoots in the state's Wasatch Mountains. Again, good logo, mascot and merchandising possibilities. There's also a skiing connection because Ski Utah offers a Yeti Pass. The big question is how the Colorado Avalanche would feel. They once had a sasquatch foot as their alternate logo and their mascot once was Howler the Yeti. In fact, captain Gabriel Landeskog wore a hat with the sasquatch foot logo on it to his end-of-season press conference. Sending a message to the new NHL neighbors?
Gabriel Landeskog met with the #Avalanche media today to give an update on his health heading into next season
🎥: @Avalanche | #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/K1uoyaVgFH— Missin Curfew (@MissinCurfew) May 23, 2024
What names didn't make the cut?
Frost, Powder, Squall, Hive, Mountaineers, Glaciers, Caribou, Ice, Canyons, Fury, Black Diamonds, Freeze, Blast, Swarm.
Utah NHL franchise becomes official
The NHL announced on June 13 that Smith Entertainment Group formally closed its transactions. Under the plan, the Coyotes become an inactive franchise (able to be reactivated in five years if it gets a state-of-the-arena by then). Its hockey assets have been transferred to the new Utah team.
“On behalf of the board of governors, I am delighted to officially welcome Utah to the National Hockey League,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said. “Congratulations to Ryan and Ashley Smith, their entire organization, the state of Utah and the fans as the club continues its exciting march toward puck drop in October.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Utah NHL team has six names in new fan survey
