Ryan Smith tells McAfee how he was capable of convey an NHL group to Utah (2:17)
Utah Jazz and Utah hockey group proprietor Ryan Smith explains to Pat McAfee how rapidly he was capable of convey a hockey group to the state. (2:17)
-
Kristen Shilton, ESPN NHL reporterJun 6, 2024, 12:45 PM ET
- Kristen Shilton is a nationwide NHL reporter for ESPN.
The NHL’s latest franchise in Utah is shut to picking its identify.
Smith Leisure Group — which owns the still-to-be-coined group — introduced Thursday the six potential nicknames Utah will tackle earlier than its inaugural season begins in 2024-25: Utah Blizzard, Utah Hockey Membership (Utah HC), Utah Mammoth, Utah Outlaws, Utah Venom and Utah Yeti.
The finalists have been decided by a primary spherical of fan voting. SEM mentioned in Thursday’s information launch that 520,000 votes got here by in that wave, with greater than 60% of them touchdown on the six names remaining. Followers can vote on their selection once more by June 20.
Utah’s group will put on jerseys of their first season with “UTAH” scrawled throughout the entrance to signify the membership’s roots throughout the state and dedication to its new fan base. When the identify is determined upon, SEG will create a emblem, mascot and branding to match that can seem on sweaters for the 2025-26 season.
SEG is inheriting the previous Arizona Coyotes, who have been relocated to Utah in April. The Coyotes have been unable to discover a everlasting, NHL-caliber area to play out of within the foreseeable future, and the NHL finally had to purchase the franchise and re-sell it to Ryan Smith, proprietor of the NBA’s Utah Jazz.
The NHL’s Utah group will play out of Delta Area, the Jazz’s residence, for this coming season, with renovations anticipated sooner or later to make the venue extra hockey-friendly.
