Salt Lake City will have an NHL team starting next season. The Arizona Coyotes couldn’t get approval on a new arena in the Phoenix area, so billionaire Ryan Smith, who already owns the Utah Jazz, purchased the Coyotes. 

Smith had hoped to secure an NHL expansion franchise, but with no real timetable, and the Coyotes’ floundering situation, all sides jumped. 

They are not to be named the Utah Coyotes. The Jazz didn’t change their name since moving to SLC from New Orleans in 1979, and it still makes no sense. 

What will the new name be? Bookies.com veteran oddsmaker Adam Thompson has broken down the contenders and revealed his NHL odds as to what the NHL team in SLC will be called. 

Utah NHL Franchise Naming Odds

This market is for entertainment purposes only and has been created by the Bookies.com team. It is not currently available on betting apps. Percentages will not add up to 100% most time because these are designed to simulate odds a sportsbook would set.

Utah NHL Team Name Prospects For 2024-25

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office can give us some strong clues as to the leaders in the clubhouse. Five names were trademarked on April 16: The Utah Blizzard, Utah Venom, Utah Fury, Utah HC, and Utah Hockey Club. 

The Blizzard, Venom, and Fury get favorites status right away due to the patents. HC and Hockey Club are more likely for marketing and not going to be part of any mascot name. 

Keep in mind, that there is no rush. A new nickname may not be in place before the start of the 2024-25 season. Smith’s team has indicated they are in no hurry to choose a very important marketing option. Who knows, they could be called the Utah Hockey Team for 2024-25. 

Also, the location of the team will be “Utah,” not “Salt Lake City.” That much has been confirmed. 

Some ideas have been tossed into the social media conversations, but could have merit. Among them: The Stingers, referring to Utah as “The Beehive State;” The Golden Eagles, a nod to the history of hockey in the state capital, the name of a former minor league team that played from 1969-94. 

The Shredders and Black Diamonds are nods to the rich skiing in the area; and the Yetis, are another homage to the snowy mountainous area and a potentially popular mascot and logo.