Smith Entertainment Group reveals survey to name Utah’s NHL team

May 8, 2024, 6:40 PM | Updated: May 9, 2024, 8:12 am

Kids play street hockey ahead of the doors opening as thousands attend the NHL event at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, as Utah’s NHL hockey team is introduced to fans on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)

(Scott G Winterton, Deseret News)

BY KYLE IRELAND, SPORTS PRODUCER & LOCALS IN THE NFL INSIDER

KSLNewsRadio

SALT LAKE CITY – Smith Entertainment Group revealed the widely anticipated survey to name Utah’s National Hockey League franchise.

Naming survey revealed for Utah’s NHL team

The NHL naming bracket was unveiled on Wednesday, May 8.

The first round of voting will be open through May 22.

Related: Jazz owner files application to house NHL team in Salt Lake City

“Utah’s NHL team is a community asset, and we want to make sure that the community has a say in what the name is,” SEG chairman and governor of Utah’s NHL team Ryan Smith said in a statement. “Utah has shown up for this team from the moment the NHL awarded us the franchise less than three weeks ago, and it is only fitting that our fans get the rare opportunity to help name the team they’ll be cheering for. ”

Ryan Smith previously announced that the team would be called “Utah” rather than “Salt Lake City” or “Salt Lake.” The team will sport “Utah” on its sweaters during Year 1 as a franchise.

During the next year, SEG will work with Doubleday & Cartwright, an acclaimed creative consultancy and design studio, to create the team’s logo, mascot, colors, and other branding elements.

SEG says it will unveil the name and branding before the 2025-26 season.

What nicknames can fans vote on for Utah’s NHL team?

These are the nicknames listed on the survey:

Utah Blast
Utah Powder
Utah Mammoth
Utah Mountaineers
Utah Black Diamonds
Utah Swarm
Utah Yeti
Utah Caribou
Utah Frost
Utah Venom
Utah Squall
Utah Outlaws
Utah Hive
Utah Freeze
Utah Fury
Utah HC
Utah Glaciers
Utah Canyons
Utah Blizzard
Utah Ice

Fans can vote on the nickname survey by clicking here.

Since Smith acquired the franchise in April, fans have thrown around potential nicknames and logos for the club on social media. Multiple trademarks were filed anonymously with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as well.

In KSL Sports’ unofficial nickname poll, Utah Yetis was the running away winner with 32.3 percent of the vote.

Ryan Smith says fan vote will decide NHL team nickname

On April 22, the Smith appeared on The Pat McAfee Show to discuss Utah’s team and detailed the process for choosing the team’s nickname.

“The people are gonna vote” to decide the nickname of Utah’s @NHL team, according to @RyanQualtrics. 🏒#NHLinUtah #NHL @PatMcAfeeShow https://t.co/0Ubm4XYeHs

— KSL Sports (@kslsports) April 22, 2024

Smith told Pat McAfee that Utah’s NHL team would have its name voted on by fans.

“We’re doing a bracket,” the NBA and NHL team owner told the former NFL punter.

Smith added that the bracket would begin with eight nicknames and trimmed down until the eventual winning name is decided. “We’re gonna take this down from like eight all the way down and the fans are gonna vote for this,” Smith detailed.

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