Utah Mammoth: A New Era Begins for NHL's Latest Franchise

Goodbye, Utah Hockey Club. Hello, Utah Mammoth!

After a thrilling 13-month journey filled with trademark challenges and over 850,000 fan votes across several rounds, the NHL franchise formerly known as Utah Hockey Club has unveiled its new, permanent identity: Utah Mammoth. Revealed on a Wednesday, this marks a fresh start as the temporary name “Utah Hockey Club” gives way to a more dynamic brand. Initially adopted for the team’s first 2024-25 season after the franchise’s relocation from Arizona Coyotes to Salt Lake City, this change is set in motion under the stewardship of Smith Entertainment Group.

“Naming our team involved an unorthodox and groundbreaking approach — navigating through four phases of community-driven voting while gathering insights not just on prospective names, but also potential logos,” stated team owners Ryan and Ashley Smith. “The community’s choice of ‘Utah Mammoth’ resonates with our identity, heritage, and the powerful force we are collectively creating.”

Excitement overflowed as Utah kickstarted sales of limited-edition Utah Mammoth merchandise—T-shirts, hats, and hoodies—available at the Delta Center’s team store on Wednesday. Simultaneously, a significant press event featuring NHL commissioner Gary Bettman was slated to occur at the arena.

Mammoth fans can look forward to purchasing team jerseys later in the offseason, prominently available during the NHL draft in June. Utah’s draft picks will don these new jerseys, marking their entry with the team that clinched the fourth overall pick after a second lottery win on Monday night.

A home-game unveil of a Mammoth-inspired mascot is on the horizon, planned for revelation in the coming months.

Piqued curiosity surrounded “Mammoth” as a name, inadvertently leaked via the team’s YouTube channel. This choice draws inspiration from mammoths’ historical presence in Utah over 10,000 years ago, with significant fossil discoveries underscoring this connection. Notably, a complete mammoth skeleton was uncovered in Huntington Canyon back in 1988.

“Historical data indicates mammoths moved in herds, achieving speeds over 25 miles per hour, paralleling the velocity of NHL’s swiftest skaters,” the team elaborated in their announcement.

Opting for “Mammoth” instead of “Mammoths” was intentional, encapsulating “one unified team, embodying all of Utah,” the team explained.

The new logo—a mammoth’s head with a distinct curved tusk—harbors several intricate details for fans to discover.

The mammoth’s head tip is outlined by the snow-capped Wasatch Mountain Range while Utah’s silhouette and an “M” morph into the left side’s negative space. The curved tusk subtly illustrates a “U” symbolizing Utah. The rallying call “Tusks Up” is poised to become the signature cheer among fans.

Utah’s home games will see players in jerseys adorned with the Mammoth logo, whereas away games will feature the state’s name. This fashion statement aligns Utah alongside the Carolina Hurricanes, known for their peculiar home-and-away jersey distinction. Utah’s road jerseys symbolize a devotion to representing their roots even when afar.

Further jersey embellishments include Utah-shaped patches with a hockey stick on home jerseys, while away jerseys will carry the Mammoth insignia on the shoulder.

This monumental rebranding concludes a journey that commenced a year prior. Initially sporting the “Utah Hockey Club” identity due to time constraints, the franchise deferred its permanent logo and name to Doubleday & Cartwright’s color-infused creation. The finalized hues—Rock Black, Salt White, and Mountain Blue—usher the team’s second season with a fresh identity.

Starting May 2024, SEG released a Qualtrics-backed poll listing 20 potential team identifiers, whittling down to six contenders after fan deliberations in June. These included Blizzard, Utah HC, Mammoth, Outlaws, Venom, and Yeti.

“Yeti” emerged as a crowd favorite during the inaugural season, with players anticipating it as the eventual moniker. However, a January announcement rejected “Yeti” and “Yetis” for branding, following a refusal from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office due to “consumer confusion” concerns linked to Yeti Coolers LLC.

Wrapping up Yeti, January heralded a fan-defined contest to select between Utah Hockey Club, Utah Mammoth, and Utah Wasatch. Arena-goers could weigh in through iPads showcasing the possibilities—names, logos, and branding concepts.

Although “Wasatch” hadn’t featured in prior votes, its local mountain tribute and mythical snow creature mascot proposition stirred possibilities. Nevertheless, initial voting feedback pivoted the team towards “Utah Outlaws.”

With the final tally undisclosed, the team designated Mammoth as the “runaway favorite.”

Utah confirmed all names in the finale faced no trademark roadblocks, including potential clashes with the Colorado Mammoth from the National Lacrosse League. Cooperative dialogues with Kroenke Sports and Entertainment—owner of the lacrosse counterpart—established mutual support for the innovative Utah Mammoth title.

Despite rebranding, “Utah Hockey Club” will remain an honored legacy, with potential nostalgic commemorations woven into future narratives.