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Utah Grizzlies

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This article is about the ECHL franchise. For the former IHL and AHL franchise, see Utah Grizzlies (1995–2005).
Utah Grizzlies
CityWest Valley City, Utah
LeagueECHL
ConferenceWestern
DivisionMountain
Founded1981 (in the CHL)
Home arenaMaverik Center
ColorsGreen, black, copper, white[1]
       
Owner(s)Elmore Sports Group
General managerRyan Kinasewich[2]
Head coachRyan Kinasewich
MediaKSOP
FloTv
AffiliatesColorado Avalanche (NHL)
Colorado Eagles (AHL)
Websiteutahgrizzlies.com
Franchise history
1981–1983Nashville South Stars
1983–1990Virginia Lancers
1990–1992Roanoke Valley Rebels
1992–1993Roanoke Valley Rampage
1993–1994Huntsville Blast
1994–2001Tallahassee Tiger Sharks
2001–2002Macon Whoopee
2002–2003Lexington Men O' War
2005–presentUtah Grizzlies
Championships
Division titles1 (2021–22)
Current season

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

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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.[3] 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.[4]

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.[5][6]

The market was previously served by:

Season-by-season record

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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

Regular season Playoffs
Season GP W L OTL SOL Pts GF GA PIM Standing Year 1st round 2nd round 3rd round Kelly Cup
2005–06 72 36 30 5 1 78 235 236 1712 4th of 6, West 2006 L, 0–4, AK — — —
2006–07 72 22 42 4 4 52 184 294 1953 5th of 5, West 2007 did not qualify
2007–08 72 32 30 2 8 74 239 259 1595 4th of 5, West 2008 W, 4–2, FRE W, 4–1, VIC L, 0–4, LV —
2008–09 72 28 28 6 10 72 220 246 1372 4th of 6, West 2009 L, 1–4, AK — — —
2009–10 72 34 29 4 5 77 260 253 1292 3rd of 4, West 2010 W, 3–2, LV L, 0–4, IDH — —
2010–11 72 33 32 4 3 73 189 227 1674 3rd of 4, Mountain 2011 W, 3–1, STK L, 0–4, VIC — —
2011–12 72 33 33 0 6 72 183 223 1573 3rd of 4, Mountain 2012 L, 0–3, LV — — —
2012–13 72 29 30 4 9 71 217 277 1741 4th of 4, Mountain 2013 L, 0–4, ONT — — —
2013–14 71 38 24 3 6 85 187 173 1329 3rd of 4, Mountain 2014 L, 1–4, BAK — — —
2014–15 72 37 27 5 3 82 213 219 1170 4th of 7, Pacific 2015 W, 4–2, IDH L, 1–4, ONT — —
2015–16 72 39 27 3 3 84 223 206 942 3rd of 5, West 2016 W, 4–2, COL L, 0–4, FW — —
2016–17 72 36 29 5 2 79 225 240 1312 4th of 7, Mountain 2017 L, 1–4, ALN — — —
2017–18 72 28 29 9 6 71 230 256 1212 6th of 7, Mountain 2018 did not qualify
2018–19 72 37 26 4 5 83 232 218 1264 3rd of 7, Mountain 2019 L, 1–4, IDH — — —
2019–20 62 34 17 7 4 79 207 164 884 3rd of 7, Mountain 2020 Season cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21 72 35 26 5 6 81 207 219 1037 4th of 7, Western 2021 — L, 0–3, ALN — —
2021–22 72 42 27 2 1 87 240 225 959 1st of 7, Mountain 2022 W, 4–3, TUL W, 4–2, RC L, 1–4, TOL —
2022–23 72 35 33 4 0 74 230 259 1316 4th of 7, Mountain 2023 L, 2–4, IDH — — —
2023–24 72 31 36 5 0 67 227 264 750 5th of 7, Mountain 2024 did not qualify

References

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  1. ^ Email response from Communications and Broadcasting VP Adrian Denny: "Copper is the third color."
  2. ^ "Ryan Kinasewich Named Grizzlies Head Coach and General Manager". utahgrizzlies.com. 2021-09-27. Retrieved 2023-05-05.
  3. ^ "Utah Grizzlies announce affiliation with the Anaheim Ducks". desertnews.com. 2013-08-07. Retrieved 2013-08-07.
  4. ^ "Ducks announce affiliation extension with the Utah Grizzlies". Anaheim Ducks. 2016-01-20. Retrieved 2016-01-20.
  5. ^ "Grizzlies announce affiliation with Avalanche". utahgrizzlies.com. 2018-06-28. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
  6. ^ "Avalanche enters in to ECHL partnership with the Utah Grizzlies". Colorado Avalanche. 2018-06-28. Retrieved 2018-06-28.
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