Expansion New Mexico Goatheads join ECHL, announce Colorado Avalanche affiliation, reveal mascot

Jared Johnson stood at The Block in Rio Rancho and told “hundreds of community members” that the New Mexico Goatheads will join the ECHL as the Colorado Avalanche’s ECHL affiliate and the Colorado Eagles’ ECHL affiliate beginning with the 2026–27 season. Johnson said, “This partnership is about opportunity and growth,” and added, “Aligning with the Avalanche on a multi-year agreement gives our players a defined development path while delivering high-level hockey to our fans from day one.” The team revealed its mascot, Billy, at the Saturday event and said the Goatheads will play home games at the Rio Rancho Events Center.

The Avalanche and Eagles described the agreement as a multi-year affiliation designed to create a clear pathway for player call-ups and development. Kevin McDonald, assistant general manager of the Avalanche and general manager of the Colorado Eagles, said, “The ECHL is a key part of the Avalanche–Eagles development system, and we’re excited to establish this multi-year partnership with the New Mexico Goatheads.” The Avalanche previously used the Utah Grizzlies as their ECHL affiliate from 2018–2026 and have maintained a secondary ECHL affiliate every season since 2014–15. Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar is an ECHL Hall of Famer and assistant coach Nolan Pratt played in the ECHL in 1995–96; Avalanche and Eagles alumni with ECHL roots include Scott Wedgewood, Mackenzie Blackwood, Trent Miner and Jack Ahcan.

Local logistics and community programming were front and center at the reveal. The Goatheads say their inaugural season will begin in October of 2026 and that they will play 36 home games at the Rio Rancho Events Center. Johnson said the team will train at the McDermott Athletic Center, and he relayed staff at the MAC have already reported a spike in youth hockey numbers. Johnson emphasized community outreach plans: “A community is one of the most important things for a minor league sports team. Once we get a coaching staff here, we get players here, them being out at schools reading, doing camps over at the MAC and at the outposts.” He also noted early conversations with league and Avalanche officials, saying, “And yes, I still have those (texts) saved on my phone,” referring to exchanges with ECHL commissioner Ryan Crelin and Kevin McDonald.

The Goatheads’ arrival marks the first professional hockey team to compete in New Mexico since the New Mexico Scorpions last played; sources describe the Scorpions’ runs as 1996-97 – 2004-05 and 2006-07 – 2008-09, with other summaries saying the Scorpions played from 1996 until 2009. The ECHL awarded the expansion club to Rio Rancho on May 2, 2025, the franchise name was revealed on Sept. 29, 2025, and local reporting says team formation began in May 2025.

UNM goalie Erik Werkhoden captured local excitement, saying, “For us, it’s just really exciting being able to watch some higher-level hockey and learn from it,” and “It’s going to be cool to see like names here and then names in the NHL later on.” At the time of the announcement the Colorado Avalanche had 37 wins, tied for the most in the NHL, and were atop the Western Conference standings. The Goatheads have not yet named a head coach, released a roster or disclosed the exact length of the multi-year affiliation, and ticketing and full schedule details beyond the stated 36 home games have not been announced. With training at the McDermott Athletic Center, watch parties planned at The Block and a stated October 2026 opener, the Goatheads aim to restore professional hockey to the Albuquerque metro and establish a development pipeline into the Avalanche organization.