On Tuesday, January 14th 2025, Greensboro announced their new ECHL team name. It was announced on Friday, October 18th, 2024 that Greensboro, North Carolina would be getting an ECHL expansion team. They will be known as the Greensboro Gargoyles. This is not the first ECHL team for Greensboro. They have not had a team since 2004. From 1959 to 1977 they were the Greensboro Generals. From 1989 to 1997 they were the Greensboro/Carolina Monarchs. From 1999 to 2004 they went back to being the Greensboro Generals. I was hoping for the return of the Greensboro Generals with the Newest ECHL expansion team. They will not be doing that. The Greensboro Gargoyles will begin play for 2025-26 season. They will be playing in the 22,000 capacity, First Horizon Coliseum which part of the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. There is a lot of hockey history at this arena. The Carolina Hurricanes played there from 1997 to 1999. The Greensboro Gargoyles are owned by Zawyer Sports & Entertainment who also own the Charlotte Checkers, Jacksonville Icemen, the Savannah Ghost Pirates, and the Tahoe Knight Monsters. The Greensboro Gargoyles have not announced an affiliate yet. The Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Ottawa Senators do not currently have ECHL affiliates. It makes the most sense that they would be affiliated with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Greensboro Gargoyles name comes from a name the team contest. Their colors are purple, gold, black, and grey. Their primary logo is a gargoyle holding a hockey stick with the team name below. This will be the twenty sixth ECHL team to have their team name in their logo. It will be the eleventh ECHL logo primary with a hockey stick in it. It will be the twelfth ECHL team to have a primary logo that features a mascot and the team name. They also have a gargoyle head logo and a G logo. They also have a logo that is the gargoyle and hockey stick without the team name. They also have a wordmark logo that is a recolored version of the team name from the primary logo. Their branding reminds me of the Beats of New Haven.
The ECHL is pushing towards thirty two teams like the National Hockey League and the American hockey League. The Greensboro Gargoyles will be the thirtieth ECHL team. New Mexico may be the next location to get an ECHL expansion team. It has been reported that Rio Rancho, New Mexico may get an ECHL team. Rio Rancho has a population of just 104,046 but it is part of the Albuquerque metropolitan area which holds close to a million people. The New Mexico Scorpions of the Central Hockey League were from Rio Rancho. They played at the 8,000 seat Rio Rancho Events Center. The New Mexico Scorpions operated from 1996 to 2009. The Central Hockey League merged with the ECHL in 2014. New Mexico have not had a professional ice hockey team since the New Mexico Scorpions folded. The New Mexico Ice Wolves of the NAHL have filled the hole left in the ice hockey scene in New Mexico since at least 2019. The Ice Wolves are a junior team. The ECHL does need more western teams.
Zac Electrifly 
Leave a comment