Following the departure [https://thehockeynews.com/echl/latest-news/utah-grizzlies-announce-departure-of-head-coach-ryan-kinasewich]of Ryan Kinasewich, the Utah Grizzlies have a new head coach. John Becanic has been named to the position, the club announced Friday. He becomes the ninth head coach in team history. Becanic began his coaching career in the early 90’s as an assistant coach under future Jack Adams winner Ted Nolan, where together they won a Memorial Cup in 1993 with the Soo Greyhounds. Becanic led the 2003 Pittsburgh Force to a USA Hockey Junior A National Championship. He spent four years as the Associate Head Coach with the Everett Silvertips of the WHL [https://thehockeynews.com/whl/]serving under former NHL [https://thehockeynews.com/]head coach Kevin Constantine. In their first year as an expansion franchise, the Silvertips became the first and only CHL team to make it to the league finals in their first season. Becanic was promoted to Head Coach of the Silvertips in 2006, where he won 66 games in two seasons. Becanic had additional stops in the WHL as an associate head coach in Seattle and Vancouver, serving under former NHL and Grizzlies coach Don Hay. In total, Becanic has coached over 60 NHL draft picks. After stepping away from a 30-year coaching career, Becanic founded Pyramid Hockey in 2016. With a passion for helping players and mentoring coaches, Pyramid’s primary focus was player/coach development through Hockey IQ. In 2019, Becanic founded and served as the CEO of The Prospect Exchange (TPE), a video and analytics platform. After acquiring ICEBERG Sports Analytics and growing TPE, John sold and stepped away from the company so that he could get back to working with players on the IQ side. In 2023, he partnered with Minnesota Advancement Program (MAP) to design and implement an online virtual IQ program for youth hockey in the Minnesota area. In January of 2024, Becanic was offered the opportunity to get back behind the bench for the Idaho Falls Spud Kings, who won the 2024-25 Dineen Cup Championship in their second year of existence. “Hiring John to lead the Grizzlies was an easy decision,” Erik Hudson, Grizzlies Director of Hockey Operations, said in a statement. “He has a hall of fame resume and his reputation in the hockey community speaks for itself. Coach B will most definitely lead this team to success this campaign and we are excited to have him.” Becanic resides with his wife of 36 years, Rhonda, in Queen Creek AZ. He has two married daughters: Brooklyn 31, and Sheridan 30. (Photo Courtesy of the Utah Grizzlies)
