7 Reasons to Hate Utah’s NHL Team Name Options

But most of these monikers lack inspiration, are too safe, and don’t make Utah stand out. The Utah Jazz sound much better if you consider that jazz and Utah go together like religion and Las Vegas (they don’t).

Utah hockey team’s (real) list of potential names.
People can vote! pic.twitter.com/VvSMqnVDQZ

— Minus Three Podcast (@MinusThreePod) May 9, 2024

1. Ice Is Cold, Duh

Maybe eventually we’ll warm up to a winter-related team name like “Ice”, “Blizzard” or “Frost”. But why? Hockey is played on ice. The NHL season is played through the entire winter season. Naming the Utah hockey team this way is like naming a basketball team “Hoopers” or “Ballers”.

It’s also a backhanded compliment to the fans of the state as they’ve never seen a hockey rink or skated on ice before. /sarcasm

2. Biting on Colorado

We can’t hate too much on “Yeti”. That’s a badass name… if a team like the Colorado Avalanche did not already exist. The Avs adopted that whole wintery mythos already with Howler the Yeti as their first official mascot. And Howler was popular… maybe too popular as he felt himself so much that he got into a fracas with a fan.

Other names on the ballot like “Mountaineers” and “Canyons” work well. But again, they’re still too close to Colorado. Maybe it can start a rivalry on who the real hockey team of the mountain states are.

3. Excuse Me, the What?

We actually love “Utah Powder”. But if we’re going that way, they may as well give it to a new Floridian franchise with the gonads to market it in that way… Do you know what we’re saying?

utah powder….? what the fuck is their mascot gonna be? cocaine? https://t.co/U3c5Z8A3Q9

— x – devon ♡ just married (@98drys) May 9, 2024

4. Another Animal?

Animals are too common of a theme when it comes to team names. You have more “Tigers” in teams than there are real ones left on the planet. So we’re happy we don’t see “Snow Leopards” or “Mountain Lions” on the list of team names. But “Mammoth” and “Caribou”, while original, are just meh. Do better.

5. Hive Five? Just Don’t Make Them Honey-Colored

“Hive” or “Swarm” are not bad choices given the bees’ natural fit with the state. But this could also lead to some gross-looking team designs or jerseys. There is a reason why you don’t see many teams with a honey-yellow and chocolate-brown jersey scheme (the Bruins tried). They are ugly and will make the team a joke.

6. Like What?

What does “Blast” or “Venom” have to do with the state? Are we missing something here? “Black Diamonds” would be nice too if a pickleball team didn’t already beat them to the punch, er racket? And “Hockey Club” or “HC” is trendy and all… but it falls just short of the one name we can’t write anything bad about.

7. We Can’t Get Mad at This One

Now, “Outlaws” has us feeling some type of way. There is a Wild West type of history with Utah with Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch. You may have heard of him namely through the 1969 film, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. This name oozes potential. But we don’t want to get our hopes up as the marketing team can also drop the ball here.

We’ve seen how Vegas and Seattle hit their team names out of the park. Now it’s Utah’s turn. Again, keep checking the BetUS Sportsbook to see which name looks to be selected… we’re crossing our fingers that it’s the Utah Outlaws.

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