Utah NHL Team Is Down To Its Final Six Name Options, And Four Aren't Completely Terrible

The first big league function that the NHL's new Utah franchise will be a part of is the NHL Draft later this month, and it seems that they're inching closer and closer to picking a team name.

Team owner Ryan Smith had previously stated that the team would use the name "Utah" instead of "Salt Lake City" and that the team name would be selected via a fan vote.

Well, over half a million fans have voted and we're now down to just six names.

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Although two of those names are so aggressively bad, that we may as well say that we've reached the final four.

According to The Athletic's Chris Johnston, the finalists are:

Let's get this out of the way immediately: Blizzard and Venom are so obscenely bad, that the fact that they made it this far is disturbing. I trust the democratic process, but when things like this happen, I start to question that trust.

For starters, both sound like names for the bad guy team in a very cheaply produced made-for-TV movie. 

"We've got a hockey team in this flick and we need a name for it… I guess we go with something cold and/or aggressive sounding."

Blech.

Also, a team called "Blizzard" is going to play in a division with the Avalanche?

Get outta here. That's like having two teams in the SEC called the Tigers.

…Wait.

The new Utah NHL team will begin play next season, and is working toward finding a name. (Getty Images)

Fortunately, There Are Still Four Good Names Left

I think those two names are just in there to sway public opinion toward the other four options because they're not bad at all.

Utah Hockey Club is a little polarizing but I think it's a pretty classy name, even if it sounds as European as a set of unshaved pits at a rave in Ibiza.

Yeti, Mammoth, and Outlaws are all more traditional North American-style names, and I think they're all pretty damn good, with plenty of opportunities to build a cool brand. 

The powder blue color scheme that recently leaked would be perfect for a team using the Yeti or Mammoth name.

However, the name "Yeti" shows up elsewhere, particularly as the name of a company that sells some very rugged coolers. 

OutKick reached out to Yeti Holdings, Inc. for comment on the possibility of the NHL team and the company sharing a name but has yet to hear back.

I think as long as the new team steers clear of the flaming bags of dog excrement that are "Blizzard" and "Venom" they're on track to have a very cool brand that fit in nicely with the rest of the NHL.