Now that the Coyotes are officially moving to Utah, the question on everyone’s mind is what the team’s new name will be.
The NHL Board of Governors approved the sale and transfer of the team to Jazz owner Ryan Smith on Wednesday.
Exactly what the new team that will take to the ice next season will be called remains a mystery, including to Smith himself.
“We start with the Utah jersey, and then we think about the logo and everything else and what we are.” Smith told The Associated Press. on Thursday. “Either way, we’re going to be Utah State. You get the first part of the name. We don’t have an end.”
According to the Associated Press, advertising agency Doubleday & Cartwright has already been hired to assist with the rebranding effort, and Smith said the team’s first season in Salt Lake City will include a placeholder name. suggested that it might be used.
Nevertheless, there appear to be some clues as to what the team will ultimately be called.
A trademark application was filed Tuesday with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and appears to be a possible name for the Utah franchise.
First reported submission Clark Rasmussen of DetroitHockey.net The image, seen by the Post, included trademarks for the Utah Blizzard, Utah Venom, Utah Fury, Utah HC and Utah Hockey Club.
“It’s obviously going to be a Utah thing,” Smith said. “Especially with something going on in Utah, it’s very important that we don’t say, ‘We have to be ready by the fall.’ I think the league feels better, and we just go through the process. I think it feels better to just run and then drop when you drop.”
Smith will purchase the Coyotes’ hockey assets for $1.2 billion, and former Yotes owner Alex Meruelo will retain the Coyotes’ name, intellectual property and historical records.
