Defenseman Josh Wesley has been named captain of the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies for the 2023-24 season.

Keoni Texeira and Kyle Betts will be the alternate captains for Grizzlies home games, and Tyler Penner and Dylan Fitze will be alternate captains for away games.

Wesley is entering his eighth full season as a professional. He has 163 games of AHL experience with five different clubs. He has also spent time with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades, Tulsa Oilers and Maine Mariners. His best statistical season in the ECHL was with Florida, where he scored 29 points (nine goals, 20 assists) and was plus-19 in 48 games in the 2016-17 season.

Texeira brings leadership and experience to the club for the 2023-24 campaign. Texeira was the captain of the ECHL’s Indy Fuel in the 2021-22 season. Last year with Indy, he led the club in plus/minus at plus-19. He is entering his sixth season as a professional.

Betts was a standout performer in the 2023 Kelly Cup Playoffs for Utah as he scored six points (three goals, three assists) in six games. Last year, Betts spent the majority of time with the AHL’s Belleville Senators, where he appeared in 40 games.

Penner has appeared in every game for the Grizzlies since the start of the 2021-22 season. Penner led all Grizzlies forwards in plus/minus in the 2021-22 campaign at plus-22. In 144 regular-season games with the Grizz, he has 24 goals and 32 assists.

Fitze and Penner were each the only Grizzlies skaters to play in all 72 games in the 2022-23 season. Fitze had 17 goals and 21 assists last season. In the last 27 games of the regular season, he scored 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists).

The Grizzlies begin the 2023-24 regular season with seven straight home games at Maverik Center, beginning with a two-game series vs. Tulsa on Oct. 21 at 7:10 p.m. and Oct. 22 at 3:10 p.m.

Photo/Utah Grizzlies

(October 21, 2023)