New Mexico Pro Hockey Club
| New Mexico Pro Hockey Club | |
|---|---|
| City | Rio Rancho, New Mexico |
| League | ECHL |
| Founded | 2025 |
| Home arena | Rio Rancho Events Center |
| Owner(s) | Rev Entertainment |
| Website | https://www.nmprohockey.com/ |
The New Mexico Pro Hockey Club is a future professional minor league ice hockey team based in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. They will play in the ECHL and bring New Mexico their first professional hockey team since the folding of the New Mexico Scorpions in 2009. Their home games will be played at Rio Rancho Events Center.[1] They are owned by Rev Entertainment, who also operate the Cleburne Railroaders and Kane County Cougars of the American Association of Professional Baseball. The team was announced with the Dallas Stars as hockey operations consultants.[2]
History
Formation
In May 2025, the ECHL announced that it would be awarding an expansion franchise to the city of Rio Rancho, New Mexico, marking the return of professional hockey to the state. The team, temporarily known as the New Mexico Pro Hockey Club, is set to begin play during the 2026–27 ECHL season. The team is owned and operated by Rev Entertainment, with the Dallas Stars serving as hockey operations consultants. This marks New Mexico's first professional hockey team since the New Mexico Scorpions folded in 2009.
Team name
The team is currently referred to as the "New Mexico Pro Hockey Club," with a fan poll to determine the permanent team name expected to close in late 2025. The official name will be announced after the poll results are gathered.
Venue
The New Mexico Pro Hockey Club will play their home games at the Rio Rancho Events Center, a multi-purpose venue located in the heart of Rio Rancho. The arena, which has a seating capacity of 7,000, is a central hub for sports and entertainment in the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Owned by the City of Rio Rancho and operated by Global Spectrum, the venue has hosted a variety of sports events, including professional hockey in the past.
Affiliations
The team will be affiliated with the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL), which will help guide the hockey operations and player development. Additionally, the New Mexico Pro Hockey Club will maintain relationships with teams in the American Hockey League (AHL) for player development and call-ups.
References
- ^ Sickenger, Ken (May 2, 2025). "Pro hockey is coming back to New Mexico; here's what to know about the club starting play next year". Albuquerque Journal. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
- ^ Kerr, Stephen (May 2, 2025). "ECHL Announces Expansion Into New Mexico". thehockeynews. Retrieved May 2, 2025.