WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — In a bittersweet turn for Utah’s minor league hockey faithful, the Utah Grizzlies have named John Buchanan as their new head coach, injecting a dose of veteran expertise into what is poised to be the franchise’s final season in the Beehive State.
The announcement made on June 27th, 2025, marks Becanic as the 9th bench boss in team history, but it comes against the backdrop of an ownership group actively exploring a sale that could relocate the ECHL club after the 2025-26 campaign.
Becanic, a coaching lifer with over three decades of experience, brings an impressive resume that spans junior, minor, pro, and developmental leagues. Hailing from Canada, he has mentored over 60 NHL draft picks throughout his career, showcasing his expertise in player development. His crowning achievement came in 2003, when he guided the Pittsburgh Force to a USA Hockey junior national championship, a testament to his ability to bring winning cultures to the locker room.
View this post on Instagram
After stepping away from full-time coaching in 2016 to found Pyramid Hockey, a consulting firm focused on skill development, he recently returned to the bench as the assistant coach and director of player development for the Idaho Falls Spud Kings, who have just won the national championship.
This hiring feels like a poignant footnote and a larger narrative of loss.
The Grizzlies, a staple of Utah hockey since 1995, are on the cusp of departure following this season. The Elmore Sports Group, which has owned the team since 2005, initiated sale discussions after the passing of founder Dave Elmore in 2023 and amid co-owner Donna Tuttle’s health challenges. Sources indicate a potential buyer group eyeing a move to Trenton NJ, pending ECHL approval and West Valley City approval.
This relocation would end nearly 30 years of Grizzlies hockey at the Maverick Center, which West Valley City also owns. Fans who have packed the arena for the Kelly Cup pursuits and community events now face the end of an era, with memories of past glories, such as the team’s AHL days from 2001 to 2005, fading into the shadow of relocation, marking just another team that once was.
The timing of this move couldn’t be more heartbreaking and confusing. Utah is in the midst of a hockey renaissance fueled by the arrival of the NHL’s Utah Mammoth, who burst onto the scene as an expansion franchise for the 2024-25 season. The Mammoth have ignited statewide passion, drawing sellout crowds at the Delta Center, injecting fresh energy into hockey.
View this post on Instagram
The team’s grassroots initiatives are particularly transformative spreading from all corners of Utah with street hockey, roller hockey, ice hockey and all other kinds of grassroots campaigns to grow the sport. This effort aims to build generational fandom with investments in facilities and coaching to nurture the next wave of players. Youth participation has surged with local leagues reporting increased enrollment as families embrace the NHL.
Losing the Grizzlies now feels like cruel irony, a minor league anchor slipping away just as the hockey interest rises. The ECHL team has long served as a pipeline for talent, but more importantly, as an affordable, professional sports entertainment option for fans.
As Becanic rallies the roster for one last roar and says he’s only here to win the Kelly Cup, the Grizzlies farewell season promises emotion and a reminder of what Utah stands to lose.
