Utah, yes Utah, has a hockey team? Yes, that is correct. The Utah Hockey Club has officially joined the National Hockey League (NHL).
Nearly two months after the NHL Board of Governors approved the establishment of a franchise beginning with the 2024-25 season in Utah, Smith Entertainment Group (SEG), led by Ryan and Ashley Smith, announced the team on April 18, 2024. The league’s board of governors unanimously approved a $1.2 billion sale. There are now thirty-two NHL teams.
In an interview with ESPN, NHL Commissioner, Gary Bettman stated, “On behalf of the Board of Governors, I am delighted to officially welcome Utah to the National Hockey League. Congratulations to Ryan and Ashley Smith, their entire organization, the state of Utah, and the fans as the Club continues its exciting march toward puck drop in October”
The color palette of the Utah Hockey Club consists of rock black, which represents the darkness of night in the mountains and the volcanic rock of Utah’s deserts; salt white, which represents both the snow on Utah’s peaks and salt flats; and mountain blue, which represents Utah’s clear skies.
The Utah Hockey Club’s home uniform will be rock black with UTAH across the chest in stairstep lettering and feature salt white and mountain blue striping across each arm, the bottom of the jersey, and on the socks. The team’s away uniform will be salt white with UTAH across the chest in the same stairstep lettering with rock black and mountain blue striping features.
The Utah Hockey Club is playing under its current branding for the 2024-25 season with Utah HC as a nickname. The Utah Hockey Club played its first game on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2024, hosting the Chicago Blackhawks.
The team could have a new name for the 2025-26 season, with a fan vote narrowing the choices down to six: Utah Blizzard, Utah Hockey Club (Utah HC), Utah Mammoth, Utah Outlaws, Utah Venom, and Utah Yeti.
