NHL's newest owner says Utah's nickname down to four choices

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TJ Tucker
May 30, 2024 (2:24 PM)

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Ryan Smith, the owner of the former Arizona Coyotes which have been moved to Utah, says a long list of potential nicknames has been shortened to a final four

While four teams are still battling it out in the conference finals of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, the league's newest owner says a long list of potential names for the hockey team in Utah now has just four left on it.

Ryan Smith, who purchased the Arizona Coyotes and moved them to Salt Lake City, Utah, appeared on the Pat McAfee Show today for an update on an internet vote that contained 20 potential nicknames for Utah HC. Smith would not list all four, saying an announcement is coming. But he specifically mentioned Utah Mammoth, and Utah Yeti.

"We've got our fourI think Mammoth is up there, I think Yeti is up thereit should be good."

Besides these two, several other names were among those in the online poll including Outlaws, Venom (Utah is home to seven species of poisonous snakes), Blizzard, Fury, Caribou, and Black Diamonds.

"Black Diamonds, Frost, Powder -- Utah's new #NHL team has released its list of *20* finalist team names and the details on their uniform design process.

Full list of team names and where you can vote on your choices in my story here: "

"Utah hockey team's (real) list of potential names. People can vote!"

Smith has said that he would be willing to stick to Utah HC for the 2024-25 season in order to get the name right. That seems like a huge missed opportunity for merchandise sales.