The New Mexico Goatheads have named Zack Stortini as their first head coach, marking the start of the franchise’s debut in the 2026‑27 ECHL season.
Coaching pedigree
Stortini’s 14‑year playing career spanned 858 professional games in the NHL and AHL, including 257 appearances for the Edmonton Oilers and Nashville Predators. After retiring, he transitioned to coaching, first joining the Tucson Roadrunners as an assistant from 2022 through 2026, where he helped the club to a 141‑116‑26‑5 record and three playoff runs. Prior to that, he served under the Sudbury Wolves from 2019 to 2022, contributing to their development programs.
The Goatheads will play their home games at the Rio Rancho Events Center in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, a venue chosen when the ECHL awarded the franchise an expansion spot in May 2025. The team’s name was unveiled in September 2025, building on a brand that ties the club to the broader Colorado hockey ecosystem through affiliations with the Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Eagles.
A place in the ECHL landscape
As an ECHL expansion franchise, the Goatheads join a league that sits one tier below the American Hockey League, offering a competitive platform for emerging talent. The league’s partnership with the National Hockey League, the American Hockey League, the Ontario Hockey League and the ECHL itself provides a structured pathway for players aspiring to reach the NHL.
Fans in New Mexico and across the western United States are already marking their calendars, eager to see how Stortini’s blend of NHL experience and developmental coaching will shape the team’s identity. The organization has expressed confidence that the new leadership will translate into competitive performances from the outset, setting a strong foundation for future growth.