Grizzlies announce first signings for 2017-18 season

West Valley City, Utah – Utah Grizzlies Head Coach/General Manager Tim Branham announced today that the team has re-signed defensemen Taylor Richart and Rob Mann and also signed forward Brad Navin for the 2017-18 season.

The Grizzlies are the ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks and the American Hockey League's San Diego Gulls.

Richart returns for his second year in Utah after totaling 20 points (7g-13a) in 48 games during his rookie season. He played in 48 of the team’s first 49 games before sustaining an injury on Feb. 10 in Alaska and then returned for the team’s final three playoff games. The Minnesota native joined the Grizzlies after finishing college at Miami University (Ohio).

Mann joined the Grizzlies from Robert Morris University for the final two games of the regular season and had one assist in his professional debut. He also appeared in four playoff games for the Grizzlies after completing his four-year college career.

Navin rejoins the Grizzlies after he was sent to Alaska on Feb. 20 for Marc-Andre Levesque as the team reloaded on defensemen for the playoff run following the injury of Richart and several others on the blue line. He had 17 points (6g-11a) in 27 games and was a +6 for the Grizzlies after being acquired from Atlanta in December right before the Grizzlies started their midseason run.