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WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — The president and chief executive officer of the Utah Grizzlies professional hockey team died unexpectedly over the weekend.
Kevin Bruder, 56, passed away on Sunday, according to an announcement from the team and the Maverik Center.
Bruder was also the general manager of the Maverik Center, which serves as the team’s home arena and venue for various events.
It’s not yet known how Bruder died, but the announcement said his passing was “sudden” and “while enjoying the Utah outdoors.”
“Kevin’s greatest joy was his family, and he is survived by Susan and their four beloved children: Allison, Emily, Joel, and Christopher,” the statement read.
Bruder has been the GM of the Maverik Center (formerly known as the E-Center) since 1997. He became the president and CEO of the Grizzlies in 2005.
Bruder was also the chairman of the ECHL Board of Governors, the league in which the Grizzlies play.
“Kevin’s commitment to the ECHL over the past 20 years has helped lead the League and grow to where it is today,” ECHL Commissioner Ryan Crelin said in a statement Monday. “He was always steady, rational and willing to work for the benefit of the greater good – this was reflected in his selection as Chairman by the ECHL Board of Governors for each of the past four seasons. More importantly, he was a fantastic person, a family man, and a great friend who will be dearly missed.”
While Bruder served as the chief executive, the Grizzlies team itself is owned by the Elmore Sports Group. It is the ECHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche NHL team.
“Kevin’s impact on hockey just overall is tremendous,” said Elijah Webb, the organizer of a Grizzlies fan page on Facebook. “He’s going to be missed.”
As the GM of the Maverik Center, Bruder’s influence extended beyond hockey, too.
“I can’t even begin to describe the impact he had,” said Zack Partridge, the chief operating officer and head matchmaker for Fierce Fighting Championship.
Partridge said that in 2019, MMA fights were at risk of going away because they weren’t making money, but said Bruder brought them to the Maverik Center in 2020.
“The Maverik Center is the place in Utah that fighters want to fight at, and if it wasn’t for him, pro fighters in Utah wouldn’t have a place to compete without his vision and his belief in us,” Partridge said. “Our whole team and the athletic commission and everybody was just gutted, because behind the scenes we all know how much he meant to the Utah MMA community.”
Utah Mammoth, the state’s new NHL team, reacted to Bruder’s passing as well with a statement on social media.
“Kevin was a great partner, collaborator, and supporter of the NHL’s arrival in Utah… and he initiated many conversations about how we could work with the Utah Grizzlies to benefit the continued growth and passion for hockey in Utah,” the post read in part.
Today, alongside the greater hockey community, we mourn the unexpected and tragic passing of Kevin Bruder. pic.twitter.com/7PbKLLP4Zm
Those who knew him said Bruder believed in the power of sports and community.
“Kevin Bruder’s legacy is one of leadership, generosity, and service. He leaves behind a community that was stronger because of him, and he will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing or working alongside him,” the team’s statement read, in part. The full announcement can be found below:
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