After naming John Becanic as their new head coach Friday, the Utah Grizzlies announced on Monday that Ryan Anderson has been named as an assistant coach.

A native of Kingsford, MI, Anderson prepares for his 2nd season behind the bench as an assistant coach at the ECHL level. During the 2024-25 season Anderson was the Assistant Coach of the Reading Royals. Reading was able to qualify for the Kelly Cup Playoffs, eventually falling to the Kelly Cup Champion Trois-Riviere Lions.

Prior to his time in Reading, Anderson has extensive experience in junior hockey. He spent seven seasons behind the bench in various roles in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) and North American 3 Hockey League (NA3HL). Anderson was named NA3HL Coach of the Year during the 2019-20 season. The team earned a league best 40-5-2 record along with the 2019-20 Regular Season Championship.

“Ryan has an eye for talent and his time in the Navy has a clear translation to professional hockey; not only in the way he carries himself, but his work ethic is second to none,” Erik Hudson, Director of Hockey Operations, said in a statement. “Ryan will have a huge hand in the formation of our roster, as well (as) in the way the team plays on the ice. Ryan has a bright future in coaching at the highest levels.”

Before his coaching career, Anderson served in the Navy for six years as an electronics technician. Following his service of four deployments, Anderson was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia.

In 2015-16, Anderson was brought on to serve as a video coach for the Norfolk Admirals in the ECHL, where he spent the remainder of the 2015-16 season and the full 2016-17 campaign under the coaching staff of United States Hockey Hall of Famer, Robbie Ftorek.

The Grizzlies will open play in the 2025-26 regular season on the road in Greenville against the Swamp Rabbits.

(Photo Courtesy of the Utah Grizzlies)