The Utah NHL franchise has officially announced its permanent identity, revealing “Utah Mammoth” as the team`s new name. This decision concludes a comprehensive 13-month process that involved multiple rounds of fan voting, accumulating over 850,000 ballots.
The Mammoth name replaces the temporary “Utah Hockey Club” designation used during the team`s inaugural 2024-25 season, following Smith Entertainment Group`s acquisition and relocation of the former Arizona Coyotes to Salt Lake City.
Owners Ryan and Ashley Smith emphasized the community`s significant role in the selection. They stated, “When it came to naming the team, we did something unprecedented — going through four rounds of community voting… The community chose the Utah Mammoth brand, and it stands as a symbol of who we are, where we came from, and the unstoppable force we’re building together.”
Immediate steps include selling limited Utah Mammoth merchandise at the Delta Center team store. The new identity will also be showcased at the NHL draft in June, where Utah`s selections will wear the new jerseys. Utah secured the fourth overall pick in the recent draft lottery.
A Mammoth-inspired mascot is planned to be introduced for home games next season, with details expected in the coming months.
Inspiration and Symbolism
The name “Mammoth” was inspired by the large herds of mammoths that inhabited the Utah region over 10,000 years ago. Fossil discoveries across the state, including a complete skeleton found in Huntington Canyon, highlight this historical connection. The team also noted the impressive speed of ancient mammoths, drawing a parallel to fast NHL skaters.
Choosing the singular “Mammoth” over “Mammoths” is intended to symbolize unity – “one team, all-in and all of Utah.”
The new team logo, featuring a mammoth head with a curved tusk, incorporates several hidden symbols relevant to Utah. The top of the head is shaped like the snow-capped Wasatch Mountain Range. A silhouette of the state of Utah and a negative space “M” are subtly included on the left side. The curved tusk represents the letter “U” for Utah. The team`s new rallying cry for fans is “Tusks Up.”
Regarding jerseys, Utah will display the new Mammoth logo on home sweaters and the state`s name on away jerseys. This choice aims to maintain a strong focus on representing Utah while on the road. Shoulder patches will feature the state outline and a hockey stick on home jerseys, and the Mammoth logo on away jerseys.
The Selection Process
The rebranding journey began over a year ago. The team initially operated as the Utah Hockey Club for the 2024-25 season while a permanent name and logo were developed. The team`s official colors – Rock Black, Salt White, and Mountain Blue – were established during this period.
The extensive fan engagement process started with a poll in May 2024 featuring 20 potential names, which was later narrowed down to six finalists: Blizzard, Utah HC, Mammoth, Outlaws, Venom, and Yeti.
Despite “Yeti” being popular early on, it was removed from consideration in January after a trademark application for “Utah Yetis” was rejected due to potential confusion with existing brands, notably Yeti Coolers LLC.
With Yeti out, the final round of voting involved Utah Hockey Club, Utah Mammoth, and Utah Wasatch. Although Wasatch was a new addition, it was quickly replaced by Utah Outlaws based on early voting trends. The team confirmed that “Mammoth” was the clear favorite in this final vote and is free of trademark issues, even coordinating with the owner of the NLL Colorado Mammoth.
The team indicated that the “Utah Hockey Club” name and branding, while temporary, will always be acknowledged as part of the franchise`s history and may be honored nostalgically in the future.
