Attempts to form an ECHL expansion team in Rio Rancho by a different ownership group were first reported in 2022 with intent to play in 2023, which never materialized.[3][4] 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.
Team name
The team used fan poll results used to determine the permanent name of the team. The three finalists in the poll were the “Cutthroats” (a New Mexico native species of trout), “Goatheads” (a thorny seed shaped like the head of a goat), and “Tarantula Hawks” (a native wasp-like insect that preys on tarantulas).[5] The poll closed on July 2, 2025.[6] On September 29, 2025, the team was announced as the New Mexico Goatheads.[7]
Venue
The Goatheads 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.[1]
Affiliations
While the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL) will be official consultants in hockey operations and player development, the Goatheads are not expected to be the Stars ECHL affiliate as Dallas recently extended their long-running affiliation with the ECHL Idaho Steelheads through 2027, marking 23 years of affiliation.[8]
The Goatheads will announce their NHL affiliation at a later date. As of the 2025-2026 NHL season, the only two NHL teams without an ECHL affiliate are the Columbus Blue Jackets and Utah Mammoth. Until an affiliation is announced, the Goatheads will operate as an independent ECHL team, maintaining relationships with all teams in the American Hockey League (AHL) for player development and call-ups.
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