Utah Grizzlies thrived despite changes

From the start of the 2008-09 ECHL season to the end of it, the Utah Grizzlies constantly dealt with change.

In keeping with one of the main objectives of the Double-A hockey club, Utah fed AHL clubs with players throughout the year, leaving a revolving door of guys shuffling in and out of the lineup.

Combine that with the fact that the Grizz had a number of injuries pop up along the way, and it was very difficult at times to stay competitive on the ice.

Through everything, however, Utah somehow managed to do exactly that.

Despite never really playing with one cohesive group this year, the Grizz still finished with a .500 record (28-28-6-10) and qualified for the Kelly Cup playoffs, losing in the first round to Alaska in five games two weeks ago.

"I think every day was a learning experience," Utah coach Kevin Colley said of the season, his first in charge of the Grizzlies. "Being a first-year coach, I don't think there's too many coaches that get put in some of the situations that I did this year. I've been through adversity before, which helped me with all the ups and downs throughout the year.

"There were a lot of ups and downs, but I can say I'm proud of my players for playing their hearts out, even when we had 12 guys for six weeks. That says a lot about some of the character we had in that locker-room."

The grueling stretch that Collie mentioned arrived toward the end of the regular season. Within a 24-hour span between Feb. 4 and 5, standouts Ryan Kinasewich, James Sixsmith, Mike Walsh, Jon Gleed and Jordan Hart were all called up to Bridgeport, leaving the Grizz undermanned for almost an entire month.

Utah, however, emerged with a 7-8-0-3 record from that stretch to stay on course for making the playoffs.

"You tell me when I got the head-coaching job that I was gonna have all these transactions and go through the period we did of being short-handed, I would've probably scratched my head and been like, 'Wow,'" said Colley. "But you never know what's gonna happen. I'm glad I could at least be a part of their lives and help them out to be AHL players."

"I'm sure there's gonna be a few guys on this year's team that I won't see back because they've grown into AHL players."

One guy, however, that will be back next year is Colley, whom the club officially signed to a two-year extension just two days after the end of the season.

Colley says he's looking forward to the challenges that lie ahead.