SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - OCTOBER 08: Fans celebrate a first period goal by Clayton Keller #9 of Utah Hockey Club against the Chicago Blackhawks at Delta Center on October 08, 2024 in Salt Lake City, Utah. This game is the first for the franchise in Utah following their relocation from Arizona. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Hockey Club fan vote has officially reached the next phase with three new finalists. After a quick pivot away from Wasatch, individuals will now be able to vote for either Utah Hockey Club, Utah Mammoth or Utah Outlaws as the permanent name of Utah’s NHL team.
Related: Utah Outlaws Back On Table For Utah Hockey Club, Wasatch Out
Update on Utah Hockey Club name voting:
– This will be the 5th round with a clean slate.
– Those who voted last game can vote again since this is a new round.
– Fans can expect to see images associated with Outlaws.#UtahHC— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 31, 2025
But which name should they pick?
Here’s a breakdown of the two clear frontrunners before the fifth round of voting begins at Delta Center on Friday night.
Smith Entertainment Group made the right call when they decided to quickly replace Wasatch with Outlaws.
In less than 24 hours, it was clear that Wasatch was a dud, and fans desperately desired an opportunity to vote for one the original favorites.
From the beginning, Ryan and Ashley Smith have made it clear that they wanted to involve the fanbase and yesterday was proof of that.
“Hockey is a community asset,” Smith Entertainment Group executive, Mike Maughan said. “They [Ryan and Ashley Smith] wanted to do something that’s never been done in the history of professional sports, which is invite fans to be part of this incredibly iterative and exciting process to help pick a name.”
“We have such faith in the fanbase here and the people of Utah.”
BREAKING: Utah Hockey Club has removed Wasatch from the 3 finalists and will replace it with Outlaws.
Outlaws is back on the table.#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 30, 2025
Now, before diving into Outlaws, it’s important to point out that Utah Hockey Club isn’t a poor final option by any means and fans can still vote for it.
However, it’s served its purpose as a temporary name for the inaugural season and it’s time to introduce a legitimate mascot with more permanent branding that fans can get behind.
Could Outlaws be the one? Absolutely. But let’s take a look at the potential pros and cons of both frontrunners.
Alright Utah HC fans,
Lets do this again. With Outlaws in and Wasatch out, which do you prefer?
Please vote and share to see what everyone is thinking with the new update.#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 30, 2025
First off, Utah Outlaws just rolls off the tongue better than Mammoth.
It also presents a whole bunch of additional branding and nickname opportunities for nearly aspect of Utah’s NHL team.
What about nicknaming Delta Center the Salt Lake Saloon or The Hideout?
Utah could also introduce a new goal horn that sounds like a train, the visiting penalty box could have a wanted or jail theme, and rally towels could be more like bandanas.
Plus, shootouts would be way more fun with outlaws involved.
Aside from all the fun branding, there’s a lot of historical prevalence to outlaws in the state of Utah.
As one of the most well-known outlaws of the old west, Butch Cassidy was actually born in Beaver, UT and everyone is familiar with his partner Harry “The Sundance Kid” Longabaugh.
Overall, cowboys and the old west present a plethora of golden branding opportunities that have been entirely untouched throughout the NHL.
Arguably the most significant argument against Outlaw is that it doesn’t quite go with the color scheme as well as Mammoth does.
To this point, I have yet to come across an Outlaw mockup in the Rock Black, Salt White and Mountain Blue that is as visually pleasing or intimidating as mammoth.
Just some crappy AI but I think there is potential here for a good artist. pic.twitter.com/WBeSrE2zTZ
— Preston Patterson (@PrestonPat66103) January 31, 2025
— ManicBrando (@themanicbrando) January 31, 2025
𝐔𝐓𝐀𝐇 𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐋𝐀𝐖𝐒 🤠#NHLtoUtah #Concept pic.twitter.com/B4cXP0WM6l
— Jazz Uniform Tracker (@JazzUniTracker) April 24, 2024
Not necessarily bad, but it just doesn’t quite flow as well.
Additionally, Utah has already presented a lot of branding that revolves around snow, ice and mountains.
Not only are the colors based on that theme, but their pregame presentation involves snow inside Delta Center, videos of the mountains, an ice cave on the jumbotron and shattering of the ice.
Hard to imagine incorporating Outlaws into that compared to Mammoth.
With Yeti officially out, Mammoth fits the mountain, ice and snow theme with much more favorable branding than Outlaws.
This actually looks fantastic.
From what I’ve gathered, Mammoth is the clear favorite by a wide margin. https://t.co/PVUUB6uYrh
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) January 30, 2025
Damn these are filthy. https://t.co/oVUZQwOgnn
— Paul Bissonnette (@BizNasty2point0) January 30, 2025
New photoshop concept for Mammoth. Front facing Mammoth with an abstract mountain range down the trunk.
What are our thoughts, clubbers? @CleanHitsHockey #UtahHC #utahmammoth #utahhockeyclub @RyanQualtrics @FriedgeHNIC @frank_seravalli @spittinchiclets @BizNasty2point0 pic.twitter.com/9PwG1V78yt
— Clean Hits (@CleanHitsHockey) January 31, 2025
A transition to Mammoth would be seamless. Utah could legitimately place Mammoth on all of their apparel right now and it would look absolutely perfect.
Unlike Outlaw, they also wouldn’t have to change any of the pregame visuals, and nobody can argue that a Mammoth breaking the ice wouldn’t be absolutely fantastic.
Additionally, Mammoth has historical prevalence to Utah as they lived along the shores of the ancient Lake Bonneville and remains have been found in the area.
Overall, Mammoth just seems to relate more to some of the other NHL teams such as the Seattle Kraken, Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, San Jose Sharks and the Anaheim Ducks. Why not the Utah Mammoth?
The one potential con to Mammoth is if they were to make it plural.
I totally understand that Mammoths is the proper plural form but take a moment to say it out loud.
Utah Mammoths? C’mon. It’s a mouthful and will cause announcers everywhere serious problems.
Besides that, however, it’s hard to find a lot of issues with the prehistoric beast.
The Utah Hockey Club will host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night. The game can be viewed on SEG+. Fans can also tune in on air on the KSL Sports APP or on 97.5 and 1280 The Zone. Click here for the full schedule.
