Opinion: Evaluating NHL Teams for the Greensboro Gargoyles Affiliation

Fans across the league are all asking the same question: ” Who will be the NHL affiliate for the Greensboro Gargoyles?” I am here to hopefully provide some insight. There are three teams without an ECHL affiliate for 2025-26: the Ottawa Senators, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Carolina Hurricanes.

To more easily evaluate the three teams’ compatibility with the Greensboro Gargoyles, I’ll compare them in a couple of categories: their previous ECHL affiliates, recent and notable usage of their ECHL affiliates, and proximity to both NHL and AHL teams. Then, I’ll come to a conclusion as to whether it makes sense or not.

First, we will take a look at the Ottawa Senators. The Senators most recent ECHL affiliate were the Allen Americans for the 2022-2023 season. Interestingly, the Senators historically have ties to North Carolina. They’ve had past ECHL affiliations having the Raleigh IceCaps and the Charlotte Checkers. Now we need to assess how Ottawa has utilized their ECHL team. Currently, there are two players in their system who are playing with the Orlando Solar Bears.

The Senators have two players who have made their NHL debuts after appearing in ECHL games. Leevi Merilainen and Donovan Sebrango have played at least 10 games for an ECHL team and played in the NHL. The next thing to keep in mind is proximity. Greensboro is 836 miles from Ottawa and 818 miles from their AHL affiliate in Belleville. That’s one heck of a trip for a young prospect to make after a call-up. It would definitely make things a little more complicated compared to having your prospects close to you. Ultimately, do I believe it makes sense for Ottawa to pursue a partnership with the Gargoyles? No, however, given the fact that they have past connections to the area, it is something to keep an eye on.

Next up, we have the Columbus Blue Jackets. The most recent ECHL team to feed to the Jackets would be the Kalamazoo Wings. Currently, Columbus does not have an active player in the ECHL. Columbus does have some notable players in the organization that have spent time in the ECHL, such as Ole Julian Bjorgvik Holm, who is currently in the AHL with Cleveland. Goaltender Jet Greaves also spent some time developing in the ECHL, having previously played for Kalamazoo. The location for Columbus definitely makes more sense than it did for Ottawa, with Columbus being 402 miles from Greensboro and AHL Cleveland being 491 miles away. Realistically, I don’t think it makes sense for the Blue Jackets and Gargoyles to team up, as Columbus is not a team that has consistently utilized the ECHL for development. Columbus had been affiliated with Kalamazoo from 2021 to 2023.

Finally, we’ll take a look at the team I think most people have connected to the Greensboro Gargoyles, the Carolina Hurricanes. Most recently, the Hurricanes were affiliated with the Norfolk Admirals from 2021-2023 and notably had a prior longstanding relationship with the Florida Everblades from 2008-2019. The Hurricanes currently have three players under contract, having spent time in the ECHL this season, with Bryce Montgomery, Yaniv Perets, and Ruslan Khazheyev all having made appearances in Bloomington. The Canes have also had some recent call-ups that spent time in the ECHL, with Domenick Fensore and Justin Robidas. One player in particular proves that Carolina has previously emphasized the ECHL as a resource, Steven Lorentz.

Lorentz was a seveneth-round pick by Carolina who worked his way up the Hurricanes system all the way to his NHL debut with them in the 2020-2021 season. Lorentz spent time developing in the ECHL and eventually won the Stanley Cup with Florida, and currently has over 300 games played in the NHL. The Hurricanes have previously used the ECHL, but does the location make sense? Absolutely, it is a pretty short drive from Greensboro to Raleigh, being only 76 miles away, with Chicago being a bit further at 729 miles away. Does it make sense for the Hurricanes to join forces with the Gargoyles? Tons. The Hurricanes would be able to further make their mark in the region by returning Hurricanes hockey to the exact building where it all started.

In conclusion, if I were a Hurricanes fan, I would be starting to load up on Gargoyles gear as I firmly believe it is the best possible match for both teams. Carolina has an opportunity to get fans in Greensboro excited once more after having spent time playing in the same arena for two seasons before their permanent home in Raleigh was ready. I anticipate a long-term agreement between the organizations in the near future. Hockey fans in Greensboro should prepare to “raise up”.