Utah NHL franchise owner Ryan Smith reveals two names as frontrunners for his new team

The Arizona Coyotes’s relocation was confirmed on April 18th as NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman announced the beginning of a Utah NHL team. Bettman welcomed new owners Ryan Smith and Ashley to the league.

“We are also delighted to welcome Ashley and Ryan Smith to the NHL family and know they will be great stewards of the game in Utah,” Bettman said.

The new team’s name became a big topic of discussion after the announcement. Finally, Utah NHL franchise owner Ryan Smith shared the two probable names at the top, which will likely become the franchise’s identity. On Pat McAfee Show Smith declared the names leading per the fan votes.

During a Facetime call with McAfee, Smith eagerly shared:

“What is the early favorite for a name? I think our four like we’ve got our four, I think Mammoth is up there, Yeti is up there, it should be good.”

The fan vote, initiated by Smith Entertainment Group on May 22, allows the community to have a significant say in naming Utah's first NHL franchise. This democratic approach aligns with Smith's previous statements about involving fans in decision-making.

A month ago, on the same show, Smith disclosed that a bracket system would narrow down the name options. It would allow fans to vote from eight choices until a final name is decided.

"We’re gonna take this down from like eight all the way down and the fans are gonna vote for this," Smith added.

Emphasizing the importance of community involvement, Smith said:

“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.”

The survey presented a range of names for the team. They included Utah Mammoth, Utah Yeti, Utah Blast, Utah Black Diamonds, Utah Mountaineers, Utah Swarm and Utah Powder.

Utah NHL team will be all eyes during the offseason

Arizona Coyotes general manager Bill Armstrong is transitioning to the new Utah NHL franchise. He has significant roster flexibility and over $40 million in salary cap space for the upcoming off-season.

With only 23 players under contract and many quality RFAs, Armstrong can pursue top UFAs. In particular, he can secure defensemen like Brandon Montour, Dylan DeMelo and Chris Tanev, or centers like Elias Lindholm. Additionally, Utah has a wealth of draft picks and prospects for potential trades.

New owner Ryan Smith aims to make Utah NHL attractive to players, promising an exciting and competitive team build-up this summer.