Could the weirdest name finalist for the Utah NHL team become its permanent name?
On Thursday, the Smith Entertainment Group officially opened the second round of name voting for the Utah NHL team, and while the expected frontrunners (Yeti, Mammoth, Venom) are in the mix, one stood out above the rest:
Utah Hockey Club.
We already know "Utah" will be plastered across the jerseys the team will wear during their inaugural season in October, and the possible placeholder logo was also leaked recently.
But is it possible those could become the permanent branding?
The chant you'll be hearing from the fans in October has a nice ring to it: "Let's go, Utah."
Then again, so do the other finalists: Venom, Mammoth, Yeti, Outlaws, or Blizzard.
The color palette transition would be easier if the fans choose Mammoth, Yeti, or Blizzard -- and you know purple accents would look real nice with those three names.
Yet you already have a good base with the powder blue, black, and white accents in the placeholder logo.
You can argue looking at a fearsome mammoth, Yeti, or outlaw face at center ice would be a tone-setter in the Delta Center.
But looking at the name "Utah", plus seeing a bunch of fans wearing the state across their chest on the sweaters? That's pretty cool and creates a united fanbase.
So, the finalists for the names are great, but Utah Hockey Club would not be as bad an idea as people think.
It adds to the identity of a fanbase and a team that desperately needs one, plus it's simple and easy to remember.
(It's much better than the Washington Football Team/Washington Commanders or the Edmonton Football Team/Edmonton Elks, trust me.)
What do you think? Jump in on the conversation on RoundTable, and vote for the name here.