A new ownership group has taken control of the Olds Grizzlys.
This week, the Alberta Junior Hockey League franchise announced Calgary businessman Moe Jamal has become the new principal owner, with former NHL player Jay Beagle joining in a supporting role.
“I have a deep love for the game and a strong commitment to developing young athletes," said Jamal.
“Owning an AJHL franchise allows me to support these players in reaching their highest potential. I’m excited to be part of the Grizzlys, the Olds community and to continue bringing high-level Junior A hockey to Central Alberta.”
Jamal is also actively involved with the Calgary International Hockey Academy (CIHA), which operates U15 through U18 teams in the CSSHL, noted a media release issued by the Grizzlys on April 2.
For the past eight seasons the Grizzlys had been managed by the Friends of the Grizzlys, a group of former players and local business owners who took over the franchise in 2017 to rescue it from the brink of extinction.
“The Alberta Junior Hockey League and our member clubs are pleased to welcome Jay Beagle and Moe Jamal as the new ownership group of the Olds Grizzlys,” said league commissioner Ryan Bartoshyk.
“We are fortunate to integrate their infrastructure and player development experience to provide stability and growth within the community of Olds and look forward to their contributions to the success of our League.”
The Grizzlys also announced that Tyson Soloski has become the team's new head coach. The 32-year-old from Cochrane joins the Grizzlys from the CIHA, where he led the U18 prep team to the finals of the prestigious Circle K Classic in the 2024-25 season. He also guided the team to a 25-9-2 record this past season. Soloski led the CIHA U17 team to a CSSHL championship in the 2023-24 season. During the 2022-23 season, he coached the Airdrie Xtreme to a U15 AAA championship, earning AEHL Coach of the Year honours.
Joining the Grizzlys as assistant coach is Dylan Olsen. The 34-year-old former defenceman played in the AJHL with Camrose, where he helped lead the team to a National Championship appearance in 2007-08. Olsen also represented Canada at the 2011 World Junior Championship, played NCAA hockey at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, and skated in 124 NHL games with Chicago and Florida. His coaching background includes serving as head coach of the Airdrie Stars U18 team and assistant coach with the CIHA U17 Prep team this past season.
Returning to the coaching staff is Grizzlys alumnus Mitch Visser, who will continue in his role as assistant coach after recently completing his first season behind the Grizzlys’ bench.
With new ownership and coaching staff now in place, the Olds Grizzlys are set to build on their strong foundation and continue their legacy of developing elite junior hockey talent.
The coaches will hit the ice this weekend with a U15 camp, which begins on the morning of Friday, April 4 and runs until Sunday, April 6, with over 100 players involved.
