Utah Grizzlies close final chapter at Maverik Center as fans reflect on decades of hockey tradition
Apr 13, 2026, 11:52 AM
Utah Grizzlies fans Nessa and Cora Van Voast bid farewell to the minor league team as they played their final game in the Beehive State Sunday. (Shelby Lofton, KSL)
(Shelby Lofton, KSL)
WEST VALLEY CITY — The Utah Grizzlies played their final game at the Maverik Center on Sunday night, closing a three-decade run that made minor league hockey a family tradition for generations of Utah fans.
Thousands filled the arena for one last farewell, many wearing Grizzlies jerseys and sharing memories that stretch back to the team’s arrival in the late 1990s.
For longtime supporters, the final game was less about the score and more about honoring a team that became part of the community.
“We’ve been coming to the Grizzlies since day one and brought the kids along,” said Keith Colledge, who said his family has attended games since the franchise’s early years.
The Grizzlies moved to Utah in 1995 and have called the Maverik Center home since 1997.
“When we got the Grizzlies we were really treated well because we won the cup two years in a row with the Turner Cup with the IHL,” Colledge said.
Fans said the accessibility and culture of the minor-league hockey team helped cement its place in Utah’s sports culture.
“Blue collar people could afford to come here and enjoy the game, get a couple beers, food, whatever,” fan Brawnson Holtkamp said. “It was awesome. It was hardcore. Hockey was fighting. It was talking trash, doing everything we needed.”
The farewell comes after the team was sold to Pro Hockey Partners last July.
Soon after the sale, new ownership announced the franchise would relocate to Trenton, New Jersey, ending the Grizzlies’ time in Utah.
“It’s kind of like our parents took the best toy away from us,” Holtkamp said.
Despite the disappointment, fans packed the stands for the final game, cheering until the very end.
The Grizzlies tied the Rapid City Rush to force overtime, drawing fans to their feet before ultimately falling short.
“They had us out of our seats,” Keith said. “It didn’t turn out our way, but the comeback was amazing.”
Many fans said they hope professional hockey will continue at the Maverik Center, even as the NHL’s Utah franchise expands the sport’s presence in the state.
“We want the ECHL or American League team back right here,” Holtkamp said. “This is our home.”
Holtkamp added that Salt Lake City can support multiple levels of hockey, noting that minor league games have long been a more affordable option for families.
“As far as the NHL team, that’s great,” he said. “It makes hockey big. But this was something we could afford.”
Colledge said it’s easier for families to attend Grizzlies games than it is Utah Mammoth games.
“It’s more of a family-friendly environment,” he said. “I’m not one either much for going uptown. Too much congestion up there.”
After the final horn, fans lined the concourse for autographs, while others stayed behind to write messages directly on the ice — a final goodbye to a team that helped shape Utah’s hockey identity.
“If you’re a fan of the Grizzlies, it’s because you grew up here in Utah,” said fan Max Olson. “Everyone who supports the Grizzlies has something bigger in common than just hockey.”
This story was adapted from a TV broadcast script using artificial intelligence. Every story, including those adapted with AI, is reviewed by a human editor before publication to ensure that KSL’s editorial standards are upheld.
