Overview

• More than 5,000 submissions in a public contest produced the Goatheads name over finalists Cutthroats and Tarantula Hawks.
• The club will play at the 7,000-seat Rio Rancho Events Center, with the inaugural season slated for October 2026.
• REV Entertainment’s Sport Management Division will operate the franchise, with the Dallas Stars advising on hockey operations at launch.
• The team becomes the ECHL’s 31st member as the league pushes toward a 32-club footprint within two years.
• An NHL affiliation and coaching staff have not been announced, with decisions expected before the debut season and targeted early next year.