Utah NHL owner Ryan Smith releases 20-name survey for fans to choose franchise nickname

The Utah NHL team is all about community involvement, with owner Ryan Smith leading the charge to give fans a say in naming the franchise nickname.

He shared that Smith Entertainment Group has partnered with Qualtrics and Doubleday & Cartwright to create a detailed process for fans to vote on the team name.

"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 (via KSL.com) 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."

The first round of voting has already begun and will continue until May 22, when fans can choose up to four favorite nicknames from a list of 20 options.

The team will wear jerseys with 'Utah' during their first season in 2024-25. After the Utah NHL name is chosen, SEG will get to work on designing the team's logo, mascot, colors, and other branding elements for the 2025-26 season.

Fans have opportunity to vote on different nicknames for Utah NHL

The NHL Utah naming bracket was unveiled on Wednesday, May 8, featuring a total of 20 nicknames for fans to choose from in naming the franchise.

Fans can select up to four options from the list. Here's a complete list of nicknames for the NHL Utah:

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

Last month, the NHL Board of Governors gave the green light for a new franchise in Salt Lake City. It is owned by businessman and NBA's Utah Jazz owner, Ryan Smith.

Instead of the expansion draft, the Utah NHL obtained the hockey assets of the Arizona Coyotes, which suspended hockey operations simultaneously. Smith has confirmed that the franchise will go by the state name "Utah" rather than Salt Lake City.

The Utah NHL will debut in the 2024-25 season and will play their home games at the Delta Center. The franchise will represent the Central Division of the Western Conference.