Carolina Hurricanes fans, get ready for your newest addition to the family, the Greensboro Gargoyles! Earlier today, in a fan-attended event, the Gargoyles announced their new AHL and NHL affiliates, none other than the Chicago Wolves and Carolina Hurricanes.
The Gargoyles have also received some upgrades to their hockey facilities in the way of new boards, new glass, new netting for behind the goals, and a brand new zamboni, all of which are up to NHL standards as they announced today the intent is for the Hurricanes to play an annual preseason game in Greensboro. The partnership between Carolina and Greensboro is a natural fit as the distance between the team’s venues is a mere 75 miles. Fans in both Raleigh and Greensboro should look forward to a mutually beneficial partnership. The Hurricanes have a long history of utilizing any ECHL affiliate, the may have, and the ownership group of the Gargoyles has a lot of experience in the minor leagues.
“We’re thrilled to affiliate with the Gargoyles and reconnect with our franchise’s history in Greensboro.”
– Carolina Hurricans Associate General Manager Darren Yorke on the affiation with Greensboro
Team officials made it very clear that one major point of emphasis will be on Hurricanes hockey going back to where it all started in 1997, as the newest member of the Canes organization will be using the same locker room as the original NHL franchise. The Hurricanes played their inaugural season in Greensboro. At the same time, they waited for their arena to finish construction, and now the Caniacs of Greensboro once again get to support the team in their own backyard. After the affiliation announcement, the Greensboro Gargoyles officials also announced their opening night date will be October 18th, 2025, so gear up and get ready to get loud.
Hockey is returning to Greensboro for the first time since the Generals last took the ice in 2004. Prior to the Generals being in town, the city also was the home to the Greensboro Monarchs. The city of Greensboro has proven time and time again that it is a strong hockey market, as the Monarchs currently hold the ECHL record for the largest margin of victory with a 15-0 win over Huntington in 1993. To this day, the Monarchs also hold the record for the largest single-game attendance in ECHL history, where a whopping 20,911 fans showed up to see the Monarchs play the Checkers on January 15, 1994. Fans in the city have been waiting for hockey to return, and on October 18th, they will finally get it back.
The new ownership group consists of Zawyer Sports and Entertainment, as well as former NHL players and popular podcast hosts Paul Bissonnette, Ryan Whitney, Keith Yandle, and longtime Carolina Panthers long snapper JJ Jansen. The combination of experienced owners, former players, and a local professional athlete should provide fans with a great experience both on and off the ice. Fans should be on the lookout for future announcements from the team in the coming months.
ITR 36: Coaching Carousel – Inside The Rink
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