Not everybody will love, or even like, Utah's NHL team's name and brand. But Adam Proteau says any positive on-ice memories will make fans come to love them over time.
As anticipation rises concerning the NHL’s Utah franchise’s team name, there are no shortage of people communicating their displeasure with some or all of the proposed franchise names.
But in NHL history, there are plenty of examples of team brands that got off to a rocky start but gradually came to be beloved.
You need only look at some logo and jersey designs over the years.
Teams like the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings have taken their team name and used it creatively to switch things up. But a report from icethetics.com that Anaheim and Los Angeles are getting rebrands with refreshed versions of retro logos shows that, given enough time, fans will embrace the relics of the past and bring them back to relevance. Heck, even the New York Islanders’ infamous fisherman logo has its supporters.
So, back to the Utah situation. While there will be critics of the team’s new name and brand, what ultimately matters is the memories and impression the team makes on the ice.
That’s what Utah’s fans should be keeping their collective eye on – not on the new name but on the caliber of the team itself. The good news on that front is that the former Arizona Coyotes players and staff are on the verge of making that next competitive step and carving out a Stanley Cup playoff spot in the 2024-25 season.
Really, will people care all that much about what Utah’s name is if they make the post-season next year? No, no they won’t. They’ll be too busy enjoying winning games.
Utah GM Bill Armstrong has manipulated his team’s fortunes to be on the precipice of a new era. Now, the players must go out and make that new era happen. The team’s colors won’t matter, nor will the origin history. Fans and media will focus on the competitive bottom line, and anything else is a distraction.
Besides, who’s to say the name “Utah Yeti” (one of the finalists) is bad at all? This is a league that green-lit the name “Kraken,” and that turned out to be an outstanding choice. A Yeti may not be an actual creature in Utah, but given the right kind of graphic design, Utah fans will happily accept the Yeti character.
Let’s not forget other names that stand out in hockey history: the California Golden Seals, the Nashville Predators and the Quebec Nordiques all had names that didn’t resonate with every fan, but again, over time, people have come to love the retro feel that comes with these names.
Personally, this writer has uniforms that he’s never liked – the Colorado Avalanche jersey and logo, for instance. We know we’re in the minority with the Avs in that respect, but most people love the look, and there’s no change of image on the horizon for that organization.
Similarly, should Utah deliver a long playoff run next season – or playoffs at all, for that matter – their supporters will buy up memorabilia and anything with the Utah NHL brand on it.
Ideally, you’d want a team name and brand to be in place when Utah takes to the ice next fall, but if the process demands patience, so be it.
What’s needed here is patience and faith in the choice team ownership eventually makes for a new moniker. And the tonic that is winning will make people embrace the Yeti – or whatever their name winds up being – for years and years to come.
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