Hockey fans, get ready to charge! Smith Entertainment Group (SEG) unveiled “Utah Mammoth” as the official name for the state’s new NHL team on Wednesday, ending months of speculation and fan voting.
How We Got Here
After more than a year of deliberation—including four rounds of fan voting and over 850,000 votes—Utah’s NHL franchise has its permanent identity. The final showdown came down to three contenders:
- Utah Hockey Club (the team’s interim name)
- Utah Mammoth
- Utah Outlaws
In the end, the prehistoric powerhouse won out.
Why ‘Mammoth’?
Team owners Ryan and Ashley Smith called the naming process “unprecedented,” emphasizing fan involvement every step of the way.
“When it came to naming the team, we did something no one else has—four rounds of voting, with fans weighing in on everything from names to logos,” they said in a statement. “‘Utah Mammoth’ isn’t just a name—it’s a symbol of our roots, our strength, and the unstoppable team we’re building together.”
The Logo & Colors: A Nod to Utah’s Wild Side
The team’s bold new logo features a charging mammoth set against the Wasatch Mountain Range, with one tusk cleverly shaped like a “U.” The color scheme—“Rock Black,” “Salt White,” and “Mountain Blue”—pays tribute to Utah’s rugged landscapes:
- Black for the state’s dark mountain nights
- White for its iconic snow and the Bonneville Salt Flats
- Blue for clear skies and winter sports
A Prehistoric Connection
Mammoths once roamed modern-day Utah over 10,000 years ago, with fossils discovered from Bear Lake to Park City. These Ice Age giants weighed a staggering 22,000 pounds and stood over 14 feet tall—making them the ultimate symbol of power and intimidation.
“Just like hockey players use their sticks, mammoths used their tusks to dominate,” said Carrie Levitt-Bussian, paleontology collections manager at the Natural History Museum of Utah.
Fans Saw It Coming
The name wasn’t a total surprise—last week, eagle-eyed fans noticed the team’s YouTube handle briefly change to “UtahMammoth” before being taken down.
And in a February Axios Salt Lake City poll, 43% of readers picked “Mammoth” as their top choice. One fan summed it up: “It’s massive, just like we want this team to be.”
What’s Next?
- Merch drops TODAY at noon at the Delta Center team store.
- Fans can also pre-order home jerseys by filling out a form.
- Hold onto Utah Hockey Club gear—it might just become a collector’s item.
The Mammoth era begins now. 🏒🐘