ECHL: Utah Grizzlies Re-Sign Their Captain

The Utah Grizzlies have announced that they have re-signed 5’11” forward Mick Messner from Madison, Wisconsin.

Junior and Collegiate Career

Mick Messner started his junior career in the USHL with the Madison Capitols, where he spent three seasons playing in a total of 142 games. During that time, Messner registered 29 goals and 51 assists for 80 points with 73 penalty minutes and a -9. In the 2017-18 season, his final season of juniors, Messner served as the captain of the Capitols.

After completing his junior career, Messner joined the Badgers at the University of Wisconsin. In his two seasons at Wisconsin, Messner played in 60 games, where he had eight goals and six assists for 14 points.

At the conclusion of his sophomore season, Messner decided to test the portal and found a spot on the roster at Merrimack College, where he spent the final three seasons of his collegiate career. In 70 games with Merrimack, Messner had six goals and 11 assists for 17 points with 30 penalty minutes. Messner wore an “A” with Merrimack in the 2022-23 season. Messner also scored the game-winning goal for a 1-0 win in double overtime to help Merrimack defeat Boston College in the 2022-23 Hockey East Quarterfinals.

At the end of his five collegiate seasons, Messner had played in a total of 130 Division I games. He had 14 goals and 17 assists for 31 points with 54 penalty minutes and a -7.

Professional Career

After completing his collegiate career, Messner made the jump to playing professionally in the ECHL, signing with the Utah Grizzlies. Messner has since spent three seasons with the Grizzlies, having played in 150 games where he has 31 goals and 47 assists for 78 points with 64 penalty minutes and a -29. Messner was named an alternate captain for the Grizzlies in the 2024-25 season and eventually named captain in January 2025. He enters the 2025-26 season with a 150 consecutive games played streak, dating back to April 5, 2023, when he made his professional debut.

Since he started his professional career, Messner has really started to find his offensive power. Messner did not always find his name on the scoresheet in college, but has found himself fifth in points on the Grizzlies in the 2024-25 season and eighth on the Grizzlies in the 2023-24 season. Not only does Messner bring offense, but he also brings back a lot of leadership to the team. Messner has worn a letter at some point with almost every team he has played with since juniors, adding the Grizzlies to that list in the 2024-25 season.

Messner should be a fun player to watch in the 2025-26 season with the Grizzlies as he continues to lead and continues to find and strengthen his offensive game.

ITR 48: Testing…Testing… – Inside The Rink

Join Chris and Conrad as they kick back into NHL action and shake off the cobwebs of an NHL offseason.

1. ITR 48: Testing…Testing… 34:18
2. ITR 47: Then There Was Nothing 32:56
3. ITR 46: Offseason Chaos 24:53
4. ITR 45: Everything Is Happening 37:46
5. ITR 44: We Have A Champion…Again 56:17