New Mexico ECHL team to be named Goatheads; will start in 2026-27
A team that will be playing in the Southwest U.S. has its identity.
On Monday, the New Mexico Pro Hockey Club announced its new name – the New Mexico Goatheads.
A brand built for New Mexico, chosen by New Mexico.
Learn more at https://t.co/FrBecLjTsA pic.twitter.com/208YMJpRQn
The Goatheads, which will be based in Rio Rancho, N.M., will be the 31st team in the ECHL, with the expectation that the franchise begins play in the fall of 2026.
According to team general manager Jared Johnson, the nickname captures the culture of the city.
“This brand represents New Mexico’s toughness, pride, and resilience,” Johnson said in a release. “We wanted something authentic to our community, and we believe the Goatheads are a team and a symbol fans across the state can rally behind.”
The Goathead brand symbolizes resilience and grit, while paying tribute to the state’s landscape and rugged character. The Barn Creative, a nationally recognized sports branding firm, helped develop the identity.
The Goatheads will be operated by REV Entertainment’s Sport Management Division, with the Dallas Stars serving as the group’s hockey operations consultants for the beginning of the new team.
No NHL affiliation has been announced. However, that will most likely change before New Mexico drops the puck for the first time. The Goatheads will play at the 7,000-set Rio Ranco Events Center, less than 30 miles north of Albuquerque.
This year, the ECHL introduced the Tahoe Knight Monsters (Vegas Golden Knights) and Bloomington Bison (New York Rangers). Next season, the Greensboro Gargoyles (Carolina Hurricanes) will begin play, with a team in Augusta, Georgia being welcomed into the fold for the 2027-28 campaign. If all goes according to plan, the league will have 32 teams in action in two years’ time, giving every NHL team a chance to have its own ‘AA’ affiliate.
This isn’t the first professional hockey team to have called Rio Ranco home. While the state of New Mexico has a history of junior hockey, the second rendition of the New Mexico Scorpions played in the Central Hockey League from 2006-09. The original Scoprions franchise was based in Albuquerque, and it played in the CHL and Western Professional Hockey League from 1996 to 2005.