SALT LAKE CITY — Did an apparent accidental leak let slip one of the most tightly held secrets in Utah sports history?
Eagle-eyed fans of the Utah Hockey Club noticed a minor but potentially earthshaking change to the team's YouTube channel early Tuesday, as its handle briefly switched from @UtahHockeyClub to @UtahMammoth.
For months, Mammoth has been considered the favorite to be the franchise's new nickname after playing its inaugural season as the Utah Hockey Club. Outlaws and a return to Utah Hockey Club were the other finalists, in which fans were allowed to vote on a favorite.
When asked about the possible nickname leak during a Wednesday briefing to announce Delta Center renovations, Smith Entertainment Group executive Mike Maughan refused to confirm or deny that Mammoth has been selected or deemed a winner.
Find out below what mammoths have to do with Utah:
"Progress continues on exploring all three of the name options that were chosen as finalists by our fans," he said. "We're fully on track to announce a permanent name and identity ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season and look forward to sharing that with our fans when we do."
Pressed with a follow-up question about the YouTube change, Maughan reiterated his previous statement.
"We're fully on track to announce a permanent name and identity ahead of the 2025-26 NHL season."
Check out renderings of the Delta Center renovations below:
ESPN.com reports the nickname unveiling could come before the NHL Draft on June 27-28.
Meanwhile, the team's YouTube page was not available for hours and appeared to have been deactivated until it returned on Wednesday afternoon.
