Grizzlies add trio of players

West Valley City, Utah – The Utah Grizzlies have announced the signing of forward Dylan Vander Esch, defenseman Johnathan MacLeod and goaltender Blake Wojtala for the 2019-2020 season.

The Grizzlies are the ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Colorado Avalanche and the American Hockey League's Colorado Eagles.

Vander Esch spent the 2018-19 season with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, where he had 15 points (11g-4a) in 49 games. He also has previous experience with the Wheeling Nailers and the Southern Professional Hockey League’s Mason Mayhem, where he had 16 points in 12 games in the 2017-18 season.

MacLeod spent the 2018-19 season with the South Carolina Stingrays, where he had six points (1g-5a) in 50 games. He was selected in the second round (57th overall) by the Tamp Bay Lightning in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft and played at Boston University for four seasons from 2015-18.

Wojtala played collegiate hockey at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island. He left as the program’s all-time leader in wins (63), saves (2,900), save percentage (.927), goals-against average (2.32) and shutouts (11). After his college career Wojtala appeared in eight games for the Worcester Railers, where he had a 2.92 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage.