The ECHL will be returning to Trenton, New Jersey for the first time since 2013. The league announced Tuesday that the board of governors has approved a transfer of controlling interest of the Utah Grizzlies to Pro Hockey Partners, LLC, who will relocate the team to Trenton after the 2025-26.

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The new team in Trenton, which is yet to be named, will play in the ECHL’s North Division starting in 2026-27, with the club playing home games at CURE Insurance Arena, which was also the original ECHL team’s home.

With the move, the Utah Grizzlies will conclude 20 years of ECHL hockey near Salt Lake City. The team’s ownership recently announced that it would sell the club and over the last few months worked towards a sale. That included getting approval from local government, which came last month. 

UT → NJ.

The League’s Board of Governors has approved the transfer of Controlling Interest as well as the transfer of Home Territory in the @UtahGrizzlies' membership.

📝: https://t.co/I5UYyJOn0X pic.twitter.com/0k2qXkQFh0

— ECHL (@ECHL) September 9, 2025

“On behalf of the League and myself, I would like to personally thank the Elmore Family, the late Kevin Bruder, Jill Roberts and the entire Grizzlies staff, for their commitment to the ECHL and the Utah fanbase for over 20 years in the League, as we are saddened by the unfortunate set of circumstances that will not allow them to be able to continue to entertain their fans and be a part of that community after the 2025-26 Season,” said ECHL commissioner Ryan Crelin.

Despite Utah now being home to an NHL team, the Grizzlies will certainly be missed as the club created a lot of memories in the market in various iterations and in a variety of different leagues over the years including the old International Hockey League. 

The Utah Grizzlies announce that the 25-26 season will be their final campaign in West Valley City.

The organization will relocate to Trenton, NJ, under the control of Pro Hockey Partners, LLC, following the conclusion of the upcoming season.

Read More | https://t.co/ElGrAanKyF pic.twitter.com/o9fQ6ShZgx

— Utah Grizzlies (@UtahGrizzlies) September 9, 2025

"This was a difficult decision, but it is one that we feel is in the best long-term interest of the franchise," said Grizzlies owner D.G. Elmore in a statement. "Our focus right now is entirely on the fans and the community that have supported us for three decades. We are dedicated to delivering the best possible experience for our final season and celebrating the incredible memories we've made together."

Now new traditions will begin in Trenton, which first was part of ECHL hockey in 1999 when the Trenton Titans burst onto the scene. The club went to the Kelly Cup finals in their second year of existence and won its first and only Kelly Cup a few years later in 2005.

The team was known as the Titans from 1999 to 2007 before rebranding as the Trenton Devils. They switched back to the Titans in 2011. However, by that point, the team was consistently missing the playoffs, not reaching the postseason in any of its last four years in the ECHL.

New ownership hopes to bring in a new era of hockey in Trenton.

“We are thrilled to reintroduce the ECHL to Trenton and Mercer County, a region known for its strong hockey culture and passion for the sport,” said Bob Ohrablo, president of Pro Hockey Partners, LLC and Trenton ECHL Hockey. “The ECHL/Trenton Hockey Club will attract hundreds of thousands of fans to the CURE Insurance Arena and Downtown Trenton each season.  This presents an opportunity for families to enjoy exciting pro hockey nights at affordable prices, along with a variety of family-friendly promotions throughout the season.”

Ohrablo, who is spearheading the group bringing hockey to Trenton, is no stranger to hockey or the ECHL with a career as an executive in the sport dating back to the 1990s. He also was an owner of the Orlando Solar Bears and is a former president of Zawyer Sports And Entertainment, which owns and operates multiple teams in the league.

The expectation is that CURE Insurance Arena, which was the Trenton Titans original home, will have some updates to the facility before the new team drops the puck in 2026.

“The CURE Insurance Arena is excited to welcome pro hockey back to Trenton,” said Fran Rodowicz, CURE Insurance Arena General Manager. “Twenty years ago, we proudly hosted the 2005 ECHL Kelly Cup championship season with incredible support from our fans and the community. As hockey returns, we are eager to revive that same energy in the arena and throughout Trenton. We are making some exciting upgrades to the venue in preparation for the team’s arrival, and we look forward to showcasing our newly refreshed spaces.  Hockey will once again play a prominent role among the many diverse and dynamic events we host each year, and we can’t wait to drop the puck.”

Trenton had quite the run in its and was a training ground for some future NHL coaches and executives. 

Current Vegas Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy was the team’s first bench boss in its inaugural season. Utah Mammoth general manager Bill Armstrong was also the team’s head coach from 2002 to 2004. 

Future NHL assistant coaches Troy Ward, Mike Haviland and Kevin Dean were also among former Trenton head coaches. 

The Utah Grizzlies will begin their final season in West Valley on the road against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Oct. 17.

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