Months of speculation and fan engagement finally made its way into reality as the Utah Hockey Club rebranded and officially became the Utah Mammoth, starting a new chapter in Utah hockey history. It came less than 13 months after the team moved from Arizona to Salt Lake City. This week, the team’s ownership, Ryan and Ashley Smith, unveiled the new name, logo, and branding that would be bolstered by strong community input and historical symbolism.
The Naming Journey
The Mammoth name was adopted after a unique, four round, fan voting process. More than 850,000 votes were cast, with fans weighing in and deciding between potential names like Outlaws, Venom, Yeti, Wasatch, among others. Yeti had initially strong backing but was cut because it clashed with YETI, the drinkware line. The group with its heart on the line for the final vote was Utah Hockey Club, Outlaws, and Mammoth, and Mammoth ended up taking both hearts and ballots.
Not only is the term a reference to Ice Age Utah, when mammoths walked the land, but it is also a metaphor. The Mammoth is a strength, unity, and ‘unstoppable force,’ the team said. The team makes scientific comparisons and says mammoths could charge at 25 mph, a speed comparable to elite NHL skaters, making the nickname even more relevant.
New Look, Same Spirit
The Utah Mammoth has kept its original color scheme: Rock Black, Salt White, Mountain Blue. These colours are now worn by the team’s updated jerseys, which will also prominently have the new Mammoth logo. A giant’s head — the ‘U’ is the mammoth’s curved tusk — and visual nods to Utah’s geography, like the Wasatch Mountain Range and another silhouette of the state, appear in the logo.
The Mammoth imagery will be the home jerseys, with a clean “Utah” wordmark on the away jerseys. Also adopted as the team’s new rally cry will be ‘Tusks Up,’ which will also be used widely on social media and merchandise.
Fast-Track Branding and Rollout
The Utah Mammoth moved quickly, unlike most major sports franchises that take years to finalize their identity after a move. When the team was making the transition from the Utah Hockey Club to a permanent brand, everyone was simply known as the “Utah Hockey Club.” But what they were doing behind the scenes was taking tangible steps in design. Last year, the team had already filed a trademark application for “Utah Mammoth,” and last week, the team leaked its logo and name on its YouTube page days ahead of the announcement.
Right away following the reveal, merchandise sales started, and the brand arrived just as Utah had the 4th overall pick in the 2025 NHL Draft. This rebranding means the start of what the organization hopes will be a new, powerful era on the ice and in the community.
What’s Next for the Mammoth?
The rebrand has garnered a ton of attention, and performance is the next task for the Mammoth. Their first season in Salt Lake City was an up and down one, finishing with a 38-31-13 record which put them in sixth place in the Central Division. In the wake of ownership change, the new name, and a lousy season, the franchise is shifting its attention to making a winning roster and a decade long stay in the National Hockey League.
