Utah has narrowed down the list of candidates for its team name to six selections.
More than 520,000 fans voted online from a selection of 20 names, and the top six -- which accounted for 60 percent of the total vote -- were announced Thursday.
Those were: Utah Blizzard, Utah Hockey Club (Utah HC), Utah Mammoth, Utah Outlaws, Utah Venom and Utah Yeti.
The second phase of voting launched Thursday and will be open until June 20. Details on the final steps in the name selection process will be announced in the coming months.
The team will wear jerseys that display UTAH during the inaugural season of 2024-25. Smith Entertainment Group (SEG), owner of the Utah franchise, will work on an identity, logo, mascot and other branding elements for the 2025-26 season after the name has been selected.
The NHL Board of Governors on April 18 voted to establish an NHL team in Utah owned by Ryan and Ashley Smith, who purchased the contracts of Arizona Coyotes executives, coaches and players. It will play at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, home of the Utah Jazz since 1991-92.
The Arizona franchise is inactive after playing in the Greater Phoenix area since relocating from Winnipeg for the 1996-97 season.
