The Utah Grizzles made quite a few moves today and are still in playoff contention. They want to win this weekend but still need the Allen Americans to lose one game to remain in. The Grizzles are 31-35-4 and sitting in fourth in the Mountain Division. Today’s roster moves, with two new players added and a few active roster members moved around, can help that happen.
Utah signed 25-year-old Goalie Vincent “Vinny” Duplessis to an Entry-Level Contract. Duplessis previously was an NCAA athlete, playing three seasons with Boston University and one with Quinnipiac University. He gathered a total of 55 Games with the NCAA, maintaining a 1.66 to a 2.48 GAA and an SV% ranging between .939 and .903, seven Shutouts, and a WLT of 36-13-2. Vinny is one of three goalies listed as active on the Grizzles roster.
Utah signed a second player today, 19-year-old left-handed Forward Evan Friesen, to an Amateur Tryout Agreement. Friesen played three seasons in the WHL for two teams, scoring 174 games, 43 goals, and 42 assists. Evan participated in the Winnipeg Jets Development Camp in 2023, and with the development gained there, he was fourth on his last team, the Wenatchee Wild, for scoring. He is looking for a roster with a permanent position that will further his career.
Defenseman Keoni Texeira was moved from the Reserve Roster to the Active. Texeira is a 27-year-old left-handed player from Fontana, California. He has played 45 Games with the Grizzles, scoring one Goal, 11 Assists, and 12 Penalty Minutes. Keoni has also played with the Indy Fuel and AHL teams San Jose Barracudas and Colorado Eagles.
The Grizzles then moved two players to the Reserve Roster: Defenseman Robbie Stucker and forward Blake Wells. Stucker has played 24 Games with the Grizzles, 25 with the Iowa Heartlanders, and 20 Assists with 18 Penalty Minutes. Wells has only played three games with the Grizzles since he signed on March 29th. Previously, he was an NCAA collegiate player with 112 Games, 11 Goals, and 17 Assists.
With the Active Roster adjusted, we saw defenseman Liam Dennison and goalie Dante Giannuzzi go in the Injured Reserve. Dennison last played on April 6th against the Kansas City Mavericks. He signed with the Grizzles on March 21st and was previously an NCAA collegiate player. He played five seasons with Merrimack College, garnering four Goals, 11 Assists, and 68 Penalty Minutes. Giannuzzi last played on April 5th against the Kansas City Mavericks. He has 31 Games played with 13 Wins, with a GAA of 3.63 and a 0.891SV%. Previously, Dante played four seasons with the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL, maintaining a GAA between 1.68 and 3.37 with an SV% between .891 and .931.
Utah plays The Idaho Steelheads on Friday and Saturday in Idaho.
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