What Hockey Team Is in Utah? (Pro, College, Juniors)

In 1969, the state of Utah got its first professional hockey team: the Salt Lake Golden Eagles.

The Golden Eagles joined the Western Hockey League (WHL) from 1969 to 1974, then played in the Central Hockey League (CHL) from 1974 to 1984, before finally joining the International Hockey League (IHL) from 1984 to 1994.

While the Golden Eagles have been gone since 1994, Utah has been home to several pro hockey teams and other high-level teams.

In this article, I’ll show you what pro hockey teams are in Utah and what college and junior teams compete in the state.

Pssssst! Are you curious about hockey teams in other U.S. states? You can learn more by checking out our other posts: What Hockey Team Is in Florida, What Hockey Team Is in Kansas, and What Hockey Team Is in Pennsylvania.

Let’s dive in.

Here’s What Hockey Teams Are In Utah:

While Utah doesn’t have an NHL team, they do have one pro hockey team: The Utah Grizzlies of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). Their top college hockey team is the University of Utah (ACHA Men’s D1). The state also has four junior teams that compete in the USPHL (Tier III).

Does Utah Have a Hockey Team?

So, what is Utah’s top hockey team?

Utah has several ice hockey teams. However, they don’t have an NHL team as it’s a smaller state (3.3 million people), and there are too many competing markets nearby (Colorado Avalanche, Vegas Golden Knights, Arizona Coyotes).

The top hockey team in Utah is a mid-level professional hockey team: Utah Grizzlies of the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL).

The Grizzlies are the affiliated farm team for the Colorado Eagles of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL).

The top college hockey team in Utah is University of Utah (ACHA Men’s D1).

Does Utah Have an NHL Team?

So, will you find an NHL hockey team in Utah?

Unfortunately, no. Utah’s population is about 3.3 million people which is too small for an NHL team. Plus, they have too many nearby hockey markets like the Colorado Avalanche.

What NHL Team Does Utah Root For?

Utah doesn’t have its own NHL team. However, The Beehive State still has a very active NHL fanbase.

The most popular NHL team for Utahns is the Colorado Avalanche. This is primarily due to the fact that the Avalanche (in Denver, Colorado) are the (2nd) closest geographical NHL team to Utah, located just over 8 hours of a drive away from Utah’s most populous city, Salt Lake City.

The Vegas Golden Knights are the closest geographical team to Salt Lake City, UT (at about 6 hours of a drive). However, the second favorite team for Utahns is the Arizona Coyotes.

What Hockey Teams Are in Utah?

So, what hockey teams are in Utah? The Beehive State has one professional hockey team and several college and junior teams as listed below:

NHL

While Utah has one professional hockey team, they, unfortunately, don’t have an NHL team.

AHL

Utah doesn’t currently have an American Hockey League (AHL) team. The AHL is a high-level professional sports league just one step below the NHL.

ECHL

Utah has one professional ice hockey team in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL). This is a mid-level professional sports league just one step below the AHL.

What is the name of the Utah ECHL team? Utah Grizzlies.

The Grizzlies are the affiliated farm team for the AHL’s Colorado Eagles and the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche.

So, where do the Utah Grizzlies play? The Grizzlies play their home games at Maverik Center located at 3200 S Decker Lake Dr, West Valley City, UT 84119.

D1, D2 College Hockey

While Utah doesn’t currently have an NHL team, they do have some high-level college hockey. The state has 5 college hockey teams that compete within the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) in D1 and D2:

University of Utah (ACHA Men’s D1)
University of Utah (ACHA Men’s D2)
Brigham Young University (ACHA Men’s D2)
Utah Valley University (ACHA Men’s D2)
Weber State University (ACHA Men’s D2)
Utah State University (ACHA Men’s D2)

Juniors

While Utah is better known for its college hockey, it has a few junior hockey teams as well. Utah’s four junior hockey teams are spread across a single league: The United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL) in the Premier Division – which is a high level Tier III division.

There are a total of 4 junior ice hockey teams in Utah:

Ogden Mustangs (USPHL – Premier Tier III)
Provo Riverblades (USPHL – Premier Tier III)
Utah Outliers (USPHL – Premier Tier III)
Vernal Oilers (USPHL – Premier Tier III)

Is There High School Hockey in Utah?

Yes, high school hockey in Utah is run by Utah High School Hockey (UHSH). Within the organization, there are three leagues, including a varsity, junior varsity league, and a select league.

In the Varsity League, there are twenty-three teams:

Alta
Bingham
Bountiful
Brighton
Cache Valley
Copper Hills
Davis County
East
Farmington
Herriman
Juan Diego
Mountain Ridge
Murray
Northern Utah Independent
Park City Red
Park City White
Salt Lake Stars
Salt Lake Storm
Sky Canyon
South County Ice Llamas
UCI-North
Uinta
Viewmont

In the Junior Varsity League, there are twenty teams:

Alta JV
Bingham JV
Bountiful JV
Brighton JV
Cache Valley JV
Copper Hills JV
Davis County JV
Farmington JV
Herriman JV
Nui JV
Oquirrh JV
Park City Red JV
Park City White JV
Riverton JV
Salt Lake Stars JV
Salt Lake Storm JV
Sky Canyon JV
Skyline JV
South County Ice Llamas JV
Uinta JV

In the Select league, there are ten teams:

HS Selects
Selects Blue

Are you curious to know more about hockey in other states across the U.S.? Don’t forget to check out our other full guide: Hockey Teams in Every U.S. State: Complete NHL & College List (2023).