Utah Grizzlies 2023-2024 Opening Day Roster

Grizzlies Announce 2023-2024 Opening Day Roster 

West Valley City, Utah – The Utah Grizzlies have announced their opening day roster for the 2023-2024 season. There are 14 players with previous experience with Utah on the opening day roster. 

Utah Grizzlies 2023-2024 Roster

Forwards (13): Kyle Betts, Nathan Burke, Cody Caron, Brandon Cutler, Dylan Fitze, Cole Gallant, Jordan Martel, Mick Messner, Tyler Penner, Jared Power, Dakota Raabe, Ryan Sandelin, Dean Yakura. 

Defenseman (10): Gianni Fairbrother, Kade Jensen, Kyle Mayhew, Jacob Semik, Jordon Stone, Keoni Texeira, Cory Thomas, Michael Underwood, Josh Wesley, Bryan Yoon. 

Goaltenders (3): Dante Giannuzzi, Garrett Metcalf, Trent Miner. 

Grizzlies Acquire Forward Nathan Burke in Trade 

The Utah Grizzlies have acquired forward Nathan Burke in a trade with the Orlando Solar Bears for future considerations. 

Burke began his college career at the University of Minnesota, where he played in 84 games in three seasons from 2018-2021. He transferred to Bowling Green State University, where he had 2 outstanding offensive seasons. In the 2021-2022 season he scored 16 goals and 7 assists in 37 games. In his final college season he scored 17 goals, 12 assists and was a +7 in 36 games. He finished the 2022-2023 hockey season by playing in 10 games with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda and 4 games with Orlando. 

Fairbrother, Miner and Sandelin Reassigned to Utah

Defenseman Gianni Fairbrother, Goaltender Trent Miner and Forward Ryan Sandelin were reassigned to the Grizzlies from the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. 

Fairbrother played with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips for 5 full seasons from 2016-2021. In 160 games with Everett he scored 83 points (18 goals, 65 assists). Fairbrother was the captain of the Silvertips in the 2020-2021 season. He was drafted in the 3^rd round (77^th overall) by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2019 NHL Draft. Fairbrother is under contract with the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, who acquired Gianni as well as picks No. 31 and 37 in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft from Montreal on in exchange for Alex Newhook on June 27, 2023.

Miner is the Grizzlies all-time leader in shutouts with 10. He had 7 shutouts for Utah in the 2021-2022 season and 3 in the 2022-2023 regular season and 1 in game 1 of the 2023 Kelly Cup Playoff series vs Idaho. In 65 games with Utah over the past 2 seasons he has a record of 33-27-5 with a .910 save percentage and a 2.90 Goals Against Average. Miner was named the Grizzlies team MVP for the 2022-2023 season. 

Sandelin scored 76 points (43 goals, 33 assists) in 128 games over the last 4 seasons at Minnesota State University, Mankato. Sandelin played in 4 games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles. He scored his first professional goal on April 15, 2023 vs San Diego. He is the son of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey coach Scott Sandelin. Last season at Minnesota State he finished tied for third on the team in points, goals, and assists and was second on the team with seven power play goals. As a junior in the 2021-22 season, he led Minnesota State in goals (21) and tied for seventh in the nation.

Staff for 2023-2024 Season

Ryan Kinasewich enters his third season as Grizzlies Head Coach/General Manager. Kinasewich led the Grizzlies to a 42-27-2-1 record, winning the Mountain Division title for the first time in team history. Christian Horn is the new Grizzlies assistant coach. Last season Horn was an assistant coach with the EIHL’s Cardiff Devils. Horn played with Utah in the final game of the 2019-2020 season, scoring 1 goal at Rapid City on March 7, 2020. Horn played in 24 games with Utah in the 2020-2021 season, scoring 2 goals and 5 assists. Jaxson Hibbard is the first year Head Equipment Manager after spending the past 2 seasons as Assistant Equipment Manager. Collin Lee will be in his fourth year as Grizzlies Athletic Trainer. Broadcaster Tyson Whiting begins his sixth season as the “Voice of the Grizzlies”. 

Opening night is Saturday vs Tulsa at Maverik Center. Face-off will be at 7:10 pm. The Grizzlies are home for seven straight games and 10 of the first 13 contests of the 2023-2024 regular season. Tickets for every Grizzlies home game are available at utahgrizzlies.com or by calling (801) 988-8000. FloHockey is the exclusive video stream provider for the ECHL. The audio broadcast of every Grizzlies game is on the Grizzlies YouTube channel. 

2023-2024 Utah Grizzlies

Forwards

61- Kyle Betts – 2022-2023 Utah (5 games, 0 goals, 6 assists, 6 points, 2 PIM, +2, 13 shots on goal). Betts was a key contributor in the 2023 playoffs as he scored 3 goals and 3 assists. He was 3 for 11 shooting in the playoff series (27.3 %). Betts appeared in 40 games with the AHL’s Belleville Senators, scoring 1 goal, 2 assists and a +1 rating. 

24 – Nathan Burke – 2022-2023 Bowling Green State University (36 games, 17 goals, 12 assists, 29 points, 12 PIM, +7). Burke also appeared in 10 games with the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda and scored 3 goals and 2 assists. Burke also scored 2 assists in 4 games with the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears. Burke was acquired in a trade with Orlando on October 18, 2023. Burke scored 33 goals and 19 assists in 2 seasons at Bowling Green. Earlier in his college career he played at the University of Minnesota from 2018-2021. 

28- Cody Caron – 2022-2023 Cincinnati (55 games, 2 goals, 8 assists, 10 points, 118 PIM, -4). Prior to turning pro, Caron played  three seasons of college hockey at Carleton University. Caron has good size at 6’2” and 197 pounds. 

29 - Brandon Cutler – 2022-2023 Utah (32 games, 15 goals, 15 assists, 30 points, -14, 12.0 shooting %). Cutler also appeared in 3 games with the AHL’s Belleville Senators, 6 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack and 9 games with the Colorado Eagles. In 55 games with Utah over the past 2 seasons Cutler has 57 points (25 goals, 32 assists) and a +1 rating. 

13 - Dylan Fitze – 2022-2023 Utah (72 games, 17 goals, 21 assists, 38 points, -22, 61 PIM). Fitze was 3^rd on the club with 203 shots on goal. Fitze has appeared in 81 straight regular season games for the Grizzlies since being acquired in March 2022 from Orlando.

Dylan was a key contributor in the second half of the season as he scored 23 points (9 goals, 14 assists) in the final 27 games of the regular season. Fitze tied for the team lead with 3 goals in the 2023 Kelly Cup Playoffs.

Fitze had a Gordie Howe Hat Trick on February 17, 2023 at Savannah, where he scored 1 goal, 2 assists and a fight in a 6-3 Utah win. 3 days later he scored 2 goals and 1 assist at Orlando in a 6-5 overtime loss.

25- Cole Gallant – 2022-2023 Western Michigan University (39 games, 6 goals, 18 assists, 24 points, 4 PIM, +17 rating). After his senior season at Western Michigan he finished the 2022-2023 campaign with the Trois-Rivieres Lions, where he scored 2 goals and 2 assists in 7 games. 

27- Jordan Martel – 2022-2023 Utah (45 games, 18 goals, 26 assists, 44 points, +12, 8 PIM, 9 power play points (3g, 6a, 14.4 shooting %) “The Rooster” finished 3^rd on the club with 44 points in 45 games with Utah last season (18 goals, 26 assists). Martel was the league’s Player of the Week for the final week of the regular season, where he scored 1 goal and 7 assists in a 3 game sweep over Tulsa from April 12-15. 

10 - Mick Messner – 2022-2023 Utah (6 games, 0 points, +1). Messner started his college career at the University of Wisconsin and played there for 2 years from 2018-2020. He transferred to Merrimack College, where he spent 3 seasons from 2020-2023. Messner had 5 goals, 4 assists and a +6 rating in 35 games with Merrimack this season. He signed with the Grizzlies on April 4, 2023 and he made his pro debut at Idaho on April 5, 2023. Messner appeared in 1 game in the 2023 Kelly Cup Playoffs. 

21 - Tyler Penner – 2022-2023 Utah (72 games, 12 goals, 12 assists, 24 points, -12, 46 PIM, 9.1 shooting %)  “Ironman” Penner has appeared in 144 straight regular season games with the Grizzlies since the start of the 2021-2022 regular season. Penner has also played in every preseason and postseason contest for Utah over the last 2 seasons. 

19 - Jared Power - 2022-2023 Utah (16 games, 1 goal, 5 assists, 6 points, +3). Prior to joining Utah, Power played at Mount Royal University from 2021-23, where he scored 20 points (5g-15a) in 42 games.

22 - Dakota Raabe – 2022-2023 Utah (55 games, 11 goals, 25 assists, 36 points, -10, 60 PIM, 11 power play points (3g, 8a, 9.4 shooting %). Raabe scored 1 goal in 5 games in the 2023 Kelly Cup Playoffs. Raabe scored the game winner in the eighth round of a shootout on March 12, 2023 vs KC.

Raabe’s finest hour as a pro came on April 15, 2022 when he scored 3 goals vs Idaho in the game that clinched the Grizzlies first ever division championship.

14 – Ryan Sandelin – 2022-2023 Minnesota State U – Mankato (38 games, 14 goals, 15 assists, 29 points, 33 PIM, +3). Sandelin scored 1 goal in 4 games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles at the end of the 2022-2023 regular season. He scored his first pro goal on April 15, 2023 vs San Diego. He also played in 1 playoff game for Colorado in 2023. In 4 seasons at Minnesota State – Mankato, Sandelin had 76 points (43 goals, 33 assists) in 128 games from 2019-2023. He is the son of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey coach Scott Sandelin.

5 - Dean Yakura – 2022-2023 (2 games with Greenville and 2 assists in 8 games with Norfolk). Yakura has 61 games of ECHL experience over 6 different seasons and 216 SPHL games in 7 different campaigns. 

Defenseman

3 – Gianni Fairbrother – Missed the 2022-2023 season with injury. He spent the entire 2021-2022 season with the Laval Rocket of the AHL and had 1 goal and 6 assists in 25 games. Fairbrother played with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips for 5 full seasons from 2016-2021. In 160 games with Everett he scored 83 points (18 goals, 65 assists). Fairbrother was the captain of the Silvertips in the 2020-2021 season. He was drafted in the 3^rd round (77^th overall) by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2019 NHL Draft. Fairbrother is under contract with the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, who acquired Gianni as well as picks No. 31 and 37 in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft from Montreal on in exchange for Alex Newhook on June 27, 2023.

23 - Kade Jensen – 2022-2023 Mount Royal University (23 games, 1 goal, 4 assists, 5 points, 16 PIM, +7). Jensen brings size to the club at 6’3” and 218 pounds. Jensen played at Mount Royal University for 4 seasons. Before that was with Lethbridge, Swift Current, Brandon and Victoria in the WHL. 

6 - Kyle Mayhew – 2022-2023 University of Denver (40 games, 2 goals, 11 assists, 13 points, 18 PIM, +20). Mayhew made his pro debut with the Grizzlies on April 5, 2023. He scored 1 goal and 2 assists for Utah in 5 regular season games. Mayhew was an impact player for Utah in the 2023 Kelly Cup Playoffs where he had 2 goals, 1 assists and was a +4 in 6 games. Mayhew is a proven winner as he was a key defenseman on the DU 2022 national championship club. 

17 - Jacob Semik – 2022-2023 Utah (13 games, 0 goals, 3 assists, 3 points, 0 PIM, -5, 15 shots on goal). Semik returns to Utah for his first full professional season. Last season Semik completed a 4 year college career at Arizona State University before signing with Utah late in the regular season. At ASU he appeared in 134 games and scored 30 points (3 goals, 27 assists). Semik was an assistant captain his last 2 seasons at ASU. 

15 - Jordon Stone – 2022-2023 Quad City Storm, SPHL (19 games, 0 goals, 2 assists, 2 points, 14 PIM, -3). Stone appeared in 24 games with the Grizzlies over the past 2 seasons, 16 games in 2021-2022 and 8 games last season.  

74 - Keoni Texeira – 2022-2023 Indy Fuel (50 games, 6 goals, 13 assists, 19 points, 33 PIM, +19). Keoni led the Fuel in plus/minus in the 2022-2023 season (+19). Texeira has been in the ECHL for 5 seasons. Texeira played with the WHL’s Portland Winterhawks for 5 seasons from 2013-2018. In 5 WHL seasons he scored 143 points (39 goals, 104 assists) and had a +56 rating. Texeira spend the 2018-19 season with the Wichita Thunder, where he scored 46 points (7 goals, 39 assists) in 70 games. Texeira spent 4 years with the Indy Fuel from 2019-2023. He was captain of the Fuel in the 2021-2022 season. Texeira appeared in 223 games with Indy, scoring 21 goals and 80 assists. Texeira is 2nd in Fuel history in games played and assists. He also has professional experience in the AHL with San Jose and Colorado. 

44 - Cory Thomas – 2022-2023 Utah (41 games, 0 goals, 7 assists, 7 points, 31 PIM, -2, 36 shots). Thomas returns for his second season in Utah. He has great size at 6’5” and 216 pounds. He played at the University of Vermont for 4 seasons and completed his college career at Canisius College in the 2021-2022 season. 

54 - Michael Underwood – 2022-2023 Michigan State University (38 games, 1 goal, 4 assists, 5 points, 20 PIM, -3). Underwood started his college career at Clarkson University where he appeared in 129 games and had a combines +26 rating. 

20 - Josh Wesley – 2022-2023 Litvinov HC in the Czech Republic (34 games, 2 goals, 1 assist, 3 points, 12 PIM, -10). Wesley has 167 games of AHL experience, including 65 games with the Springfield Thunderbirds, where he scored 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists) and had a +11 rating. Wesley has spent time in the ECHL with Florida, Tulsa and Maine. Wesley was drafted in the 4^th round (96^th overall) by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2014 NHL Draft. He is the son of NHL all-star and Stanley Cup champion Glen Wesley. 

4 - Bryan Yoon – 2022-2023 Colorado College (38 games, 1 goal, 14 assists, 15 points, 4 PIM, -19). Yoon was the captain of Colorado College for his senior season in 2022-2023. Yoon was named to the 2023 NCAA (NCHC) All-Tournament Team. In his senior season Yoon tied for team lead with 14 assists and fourth on team with 15 points (1g,14a). In 5 seasons at Colorado College Yoon appeared in 167 games and scored 72 points (7 goals, 65 assists).

Goaltenders

73 - Dante Giannuzzi – 2022-2023 Portland, WHL (41 games, 23-13-5 W-L, 3.33 GAA, .894 save %). Giannuzzi held a 59-32-10 record along with a 3.07 goals-against average, .896 save percentage and 5 shutouts during his 109-game WHL career with the Portland Winterhawks. He is currently in AHL camp with the Manitoba Moose. 

39 - Garrett Metcalf - It is Metcalf’s fourth season as a professional. In 34 games with Utah through the end of the 2022-2023 season he has a record of 15-11-2 with a .904 save percentage and a 3.09 GAA. He also has pro experience in the AHL with Lehigh Valley and San Diego. Metcalf is on an AHL contract with the Colorado Eagles. 

50 – Trent Miner – 2022-2023 Utah (37 games, 17-15-3 W-L, 3.04 GAA, .910 Save %). Miner had 3 regular season shutouts and 1 playoff shutout in the 2022-2023 season. Miner is the Grizzlies all-time leader with 10 shutouts. Miner has 11 professional shutouts in 78 games. Miner was named the Grizzlies team MVP for the 2022-2023 season. He is on the final season of a three-year NHL contract with the Colorado Avalanche.