Utah Grizzlies

{{short description|Professional minor league ice hockey team in Salt Lake City, Utah}}

{{About|the ECHL franchise|the former IHL and AHL franchise|Utah Grizzlies (1995–2005)}}

{{Infobox ice hockey team

| current = 2024–25 ECHL season

| bg_color = background:#FFFFFF; border-top:#00483A 5px solid; border-bottom:#231F20 5px solid;

| text_color = #000000

| team = Utah Grizzlies

| logo = Utah Grizzlies Logo.svg

| logosize = 250px

| city = West Valley City, Utah

| league = ECHL

| conference = Western

| division = Mountain

| founded = 1981 (in the CHL)

| arena = Maverik Center

| colors = Green, black, copper, whiteEmail response from Communications and Broadcasting VP Adrian Denny: "Copper is the third color."
{{color box|#00483A}} {{color box|#231F20}} {{color box|#B1790C}} {{color box|#FFFFFF}}

| owner = Elmore Sports Group

| GM = Ryan Kinasewich{{cite web|url=https://www.utahgrizzlies.com/en/grizzlies-news/ryan-kinasewich-named-grizzlies-head-coach-and-general-manager |title=Ryan Kinasewich Named Grizzlies Head Coach and General Manager |website=utahgrizzlies.com |date= 2021-09-27 |access-date= 2023-05-05}}

| coach = Ryan Kinasewich

| media = KSOP
FloTv

| affiliates = Colorado Avalanche (NHL)
Colorado Eagles (AHL)

| website = {{URL|https://utahgrizzlies.com}}

| name1 = Nashville South Stars

| dates1 = 1981–1983

| name2 = Virginia Lancers

| dates2 = 1983–1990

| name3 = Roanoke Valley Rebels

| dates3 = 1990–1992

| name4 = Roanoke Valley Rampage

| dates4 = 1992–1993

| name5 = Huntsville Blast

| dates5 = 1993–1994

| name6 = Tallahassee Tiger Sharks

| dates6 = 1994–2001

| name7 = Macon Whoopee

| dates7 = 2001–2002

| name8 = Lexington Men O' War

| dates8 = 2002–2003

| name9 = Utah Grizzlies

| dates9 = 2005–present

| reg_season_titles =

| division_titles = 1 (2021–22)

| conf_titles =

| kelly_cups =

}}

The Utah Grizzlies are a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL. They play their home games at Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah.

Franchise history

The current Utah Grizzlies franchise started in 1981 as the Nashville South Stars in Nashville, Tennessee, in the Central Hockey League. Henry Brabham then took over the team in 1983 and relocated them to Vinton, Virginia mid-season, to become the Virginia Lancers. Brabham and the Lancers were then one of the founding members of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) in 1988. The franchise was sold and relocated several times until it went dormant after the 2002–03 season. After the American Hockey League (AHL) incarnation of the Grizzlies suspended operations, David Elmore and Donna Tuttle bought the rights to the dormant ECHL franchise and moved the team to the E Center to replace the previous Grizzlies franchise.

Prior to the 2013–14 season, their NHL affiliate Calgary Flames changed their affiliation to the Alaska Aces. Incoming head coach and general manager Tim Branham announced a three-year agreement with the Anaheim Ducks on August 7, 2013.{{cite web| url = https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865584282/Utah-Grizzlies-announce-affiliation-with-Anaheim-Ducks.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180629064922/https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865584282/Utah-Grizzlies-announce-affiliation-with-Anaheim-Ducks.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = June 29, 2018 | title = Utah Grizzlies announce affiliation with the Anaheim Ducks | website = desertnews.com | date = 2013-08-07 | access-date = 2013-08-07}}

After the Grizzlies made the post-season in every season within the Ducks organization, the Grizzlies and Ducks agreed to a multi-year extension during the 2015–16 season.{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/ducks/news/ducks-announce-affiliation-agreement-extension-with-utah-grizzlies-of-the-echl/c-869570 | title = Ducks announce affiliation extension with the Utah Grizzlies | publisher = Anaheim Ducks | date = 2016-01-20 | access-date = 2016-01-20}}

Following the 2017–18 season, the Grizzlies missed the post-season for the first time in 11 years. At that time, their ECHL rival, the Colorado Eagles, joined the American Hockey League as an affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche after previously serving as the Avalanche affiliate in the ECHL. The Grizzlies ended their agreement with the Ducks and affiliated with the Avalanche, their then-closest geographical NHL club.{{cite web| url = http://www.utahgrizzlies.com/team-news/headline-news/?article_id=3523 | title = Grizzlies announce affiliation with Avalanche | website = utahgrizzlies.com | date = 2018-06-28 | access-date = 2018-06-28}}{{cite web| url = https://www.nhl.com/avalanche/news/utah-grizzlies-announce-affiliation-with-colorado-avalanche/c-299324520 | title = Avalanche enters in to ECHL partnership with the Utah Grizzlies | publisher = Colorado Avalanche | date = 2018-06-28 | access-date = 2018-06-28}}

The market was previously served by:

Season-by-season record

Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime losses, SOL= Shootout losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalty infraction minutes

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
colspan=11|Regular season

!colspan=5|Playoffs

SeasonGPWLOTLSOLPtsGFGAPIMStandingYear1st round2nd round3rd roundKelly Cup
2005–06723630517823523617124th of 6, West2006L, 0–4, AK
2006–07722242445218429419535th of 5, West2007colspan=4|did not qualify
2007–08723230287423925915954th of 5, West2008W, 4–2, FREW, 4–1, VICL, 0–4, LV
2008–097228286107222024613724th of 6, West2009L, 1–4, AK
2009–10723429457726025312923rd of 4, West2010W, 3–2, LVL, 0–4, IDH
2010–11723332437318922716743rd of 4, Mountain2011W, 3–1, STKL, 0–4, VIC
2011–12723333067218322315733rd of 4, Mountain2012L, 0–3, LV
2012–13722930497121727717414th of 4, Mountain2013L, 0–4, ONT
2013–14713824368518717313293rd of 4, Mountain2014L, 1–4, BAK
2014–15723727538221321911704th of 7, Pacific2015W, 4–2, IDHL, 1–4, ONT
2015–1672392733842232069423rd of 5, West2016W, 4–2, COLL, 0–4, FW
2016–17723629527922524013124th of 7, Mountain2017L, 1–4, ALN
2017–18722829967123025612126th of 7, Mountain2018colspan=4|did not qualify
2018–19723726458323221812643rd of 7, Mountain2019L, 1–4, IDH
2019–2062341774792071648843rd of 7, Mountain2020colspan=4|Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21723526568120721910374th of 7, Western2021bgcolor=#000000|—L, 0–3, ALN
2021–2272422721872402259591st of 7, Mountain2022W, 4–3, TULW, 4–2, RCL, 1–4, TOL—|—
2022–23723533407423025913164th of 7, Mountain2023L, 2–4, IDH
2023–2472313650672272647505th of 7, Mountain2024colspan=4|did not qualify

References

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