Yesterday afternoon, the ECHL released the upcoming schedule for the 2024-2025 season, which includes the Utah Grizzlies. When the NHL team in Utah was announced, there was speculation that the Grizzlies would join the AHL. However, that is not the case, as the Grizzlies will play all 72 games in the ECHL this season against 10 different opponents. After missing the playoffs last year, the Grizzlies will look to rebound and make the playoffs. We break the schedule down below:
To start the season, which will celebrate 30 years of Utah Grizzlies hockey, they will take a six-hour bus drive up to Boise to take on their fierce rival, the Idaho Steelheads, on October 18, 2024, as it will be the first of nine meetings between the two teams, Idaho finished second in the mountain division, while Utah finished fifth just missing out on the playoffs on the final day. Utah has struggled against Idaho in most recent years; last season was no different as they went 4-9-1 against the Steelheads, not getting their first win of the year against Idaho until a 6-5 OT win on February 10, 2024. This is a series known for fighting, and it’s worth noting that Utah’s Johnny Walker retired late last week, so we’ll see how much, if any, that changes the physicality between the squads. An interesting note is that six of the games will take place in Utah, while three will be played in Boise.
Following the bus ride to Boise, Utah will head to the Mount Rushmore area to take on the Rapid City Rush for two games, as those will be the first two of 10 games this season. Last season, the two teams didn’t face off against each other until January 24, which was a much earlier start this year compared to last season. Last season, Utah went 5-3-1 against the Rush. Rapid City finished tied for sixth last year, so the Rush will be looking to rebound and try to make the playoffs for the upcoming season. The first series for the two teams will be the two-game series on October 25th and 26th. Each team will host five games each in this series.
Following that trip to Rapid City, Utah will head home for their home opener against the Allen Americans, where they start a four-game homestand. Utah went 4-3 against the Americans, last season as the Americans got third place in the mountain division, Allen got eliminated in the first round as they got defeated by the Steelheads. These two teams will face each other nine times this season, with Utah hosting five of those and heading to Texas for the other four. This will be a good season series, as the two teams have been pretty even against each other most years.
Following the two home games against Allen, Utah will host the Tahoe Knight Monsters for the first-ever matchup for those squads; it will be a two-game set on November 9th and 10th at the Maverik Center in West Valley City, Utah. Speaking of matchups, these two teams will battle it out 10 times this season. Which is more than Utah vs Idaho matchups, so the question will be… Is there another rivalry brewing out West? Utah will also close out the home part of their schedule when Tahoe visits on April 4th and 5th. Tahoe will play in the Mountain Division. Utah will host seven of the 10 games while visiting Tahoe three times this season.
After Tahoe, Utah will go on a season-long seven-game road trip, featuring three against Allen, then afterward, they will go to Wichita, Kansas, to take on the Wichita Thunder in the first three of nine this season. The two teams faced off only four times last season, with each team grabbing two wins. Wichita, a team that usually plays up to expectations, failed to make the playoffs last year, being tied for last in the division, only grabbing 64 points in the season. Utah will be in Wichita for six of the nine games this season, so Wichita will be looking to rebound with six games at home against a Utah team that is looking to get back into the playoffs. Their last series will be a two-game set on March 13th and 14th in Wichita in what will be the start of a six-game road trip.
After they visit Wichita, Utah will travel to the great state of Oklahoma for one game against the Tulsa Oilers, who just beat out Utah for the final playoff spot in the Mountain Division. It will be a single game as they conclude the road trip on November 24, 2024, before heading home. Tulsa and Utah will battle it out eight times this season, with six of them being in Tulsa. Utah will be looking for a little bit of payback against the Oilers that will hopefully propel them into the playoffs next season. Last year, the Grizzlies went 7-2-1 against Tulsa, which included a couple of sweeps to start the year and to end the 2023 calendar year. Utah doesn’t struggle much against Tulsa, so they will need to keep up their great playing against Tulsa to win the head-to-head battle next season.
To start their first six-game homestand of the season following the road trip, the Grizzlies will host the Indy Fuel for three games on November 27th, 29th, and 30th. The Indy Fuel are part of the Central Division in the ECHL’s Western Conference, last year they finished second in their division, ultimately getting bounced by the Wheeling Nailers in the first round. These three games will be the only time that the Fuel and the Grizzlies will battle this season. These two teams last battled each other back in November 2018; first on November 11, 2018, in Indy, then in Utah on the 14th, 16th, and 17th; they split those four games.
Following the Indy Fuel visit to Utah, the Grizzlies will then host the Kansas City Mavericks on December 4, 6, and 7, 2024. It will be one of two visits for the Mavericks. These two teams will battle each other 10 times this season, with five in Utah and the other five in Kansas City. The Mavericks won the Mountain Division as well as the ECHL’s Brabham Cup for the best record in the league. They are currently battling for the Kelly Cup after winning their first-ever Western Conference Championship, so it will be another tough year for Utah against Kansas City, as last year the Grizzlies went 2-6-1 against KC.
Next on the list will be the Grizzlies traveling to the mid-west region to have one game against the Cincinnati Cyclones on January 15, 2025. Last season, the two teams battled once; also in Cincinnati, the Cyclones won that game by a score of 5-2. The Grizzlies will then have an off-day to travel to Bloomington, Illinois, to take on the Bloomington Bison for a three-game series, as the squads will take on each other for the first ever time in history from January 17th-19th. Both those teams are from the central division.
For the full schedule, be sure to visit the Grizzlies Website or check out their schedule release video on X
Lots less travel this season for Utah as they stay in the Western Conference for all 72 games, as they only leave the division for seven games. Utah will look to get back into the playoffs as they will face a lot more division opponents this year, compared to last year where they had 19 non-division games.
