FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 16, 2025
K-WINGS ACQUIRE FORWARD GRIFFIN NESS FROM GRIZZLIES
Kalamazoo completes Luc Salem futures considerations trade with Utah, acquires forward Griffin Ness.
KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks, announced Tuesday that the team has acquired second-year forward Griffin Ness from the Utah Grizzlies.
The Ness acquisition completes the future considerations deal that sent defenseman Luc Salem to Utah on August 19.
Ness, 26, is a 6-foot, 185-pound, Wayzata, MN native who currently has 15 points (6g, 9a) in 24 games played for the Grizzlies this season. In 2024-25, the forward amassed 14 goals and 18 assists in 73 games played between Toledo and Utah.
The right-shot played four years of NCAA hockey (2020-24) for the University of North Dakota (111 GP, 10g-10a), earning the NCAA Championship (NCHC) in 2020-21. Ness also played for Team USA and won the WJAC-19 Gold Medal in 2018-19, scoring the game-winning goal in overtime of the semifinal game against Canada West, securing the U.S. team's place in the gold medal match.
Next up, the K-Wings hit the road for a pair of games against the Bloomington Bison (13-5-2-2) on Friday, December 19, and Saturday, December 20 at Grossinger Motors Arena. Both games drop the puck at 8:00 p.m. EST.
Kalamazoo returns home for its annual New Year’s Eve hockey game! Join the K-Wings as they battle the Toledo Walleye at 6 p.m. EST, December 31, at Wings Event Center. Start your NYE with thrilling hockey action, then catch the football games on TVs throughout the arena. It’s a tradition decades in the making—don’t miss out on ringing in the new year, K-Wings style!
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Jersey Giveaway Sundays continues on Sunday, January 4, as we honor the Detroit Pistons! The second of four themed games, this night features a special giveaway: the first 500 kids (12 & under) will receive a limited-edition K-Wings/Detroit Pistons-inspired youth basketball jersey. Don’t miss your chance to celebrate Detroit’s legendary sports teams and score some exclusive gear!
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The Kalamazoo Wings are a professional hockey team based in southwest Michigan, having been a staple in the Kalamazoo, MI, professional sports landscape since 1974. The K-Wings compete in the ECHL and are the AA affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Vancouver Canucks and the American Hockey League’s Abbotsford Canucks. Kalamazoo plays its 36 regular-season home games at Wings Event Center from October through April.
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