Penguins and Nailers’ Relationship May Be Coming to an End

The Hoffmann Family of Companies received approval from the NHL to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 23. Considering the Hoffmann Family of Companies also owns the ECHL’s Florida Everblades, tthey may be interested in switching the Penguins’ ECHL affiliate from the Wheeling Nailers to the Everblades. Pittsburgh and Wheeling have one of the longest-running partnerships in the league, and this would mark a major change for the ECHL team.

Penguins and Nailers Share a Successful History

The relationship between the Nailers and the Penguins began in February 1998, making it the longest active NHL-ECHL partnership. Along with the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the organization has one of the strongest developmental pipelines in the NHL. Players like Josh Archibald, Casey DeSmith, Avery Hayes, and Sergei Murashov all started their journeys in Wheeling. 

The Hoffmann Family seems to have every intention of holding on to their ownership of the Everblades and changing the affiliation, which is disappointing for Wheeling fans since so much of their identity is rooted in the Penguins organization. The Nailers’ black and gold logo as well as their player development, coaching, and resources have shaped them into the team they are today.

If the Penguins switch their affiliation, they would have full control over their player development at the ECHL and AHL level. However, this could have a major impact on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, since there is a lot of player movement between the ECHL and AHL clubs.  

Wheeling is five hours away from Wilkes-Barre/Scranon, but Estero, Florida, where the Everblades are located, is a bit further than that. There have been plenty of instances where call-ups or demotions happen between the three franchises. A lot of times, this movement occurs on a game day and has to happen fast. On April 5, the Penguins had to call up Taylor Gauthier from the Nailers because they needed goaltending depth against the Florida Panthers.

If Wilkes-Barre/Scranton had to call up a player from the Everblades, they would have to leave from Miami or Fort Lauderdale and first get to Philadelphia, then would have to take a two-hour bus ride or additional flight to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. This is obviously not an ideal situation, especially on a game day. Other NHL teams have similar distance issues with their ECHL affiliates, so it’s not impossible, but it is inconvenient. 

Penguins Face Many Changes This Summer

Despite the distance, the new ownership might be better for the Penguins in the long run. The distance can be navigated, and having full organizational control over the team’s affiliates would be a bonus. The Everblades also have a strong program. They have captured four Kelly Cup titles in the last five years, including this season, and players like Tanner Jeannot, Cam Johnson, and Alex Nedeljkovic all started their careers in Florida. 

Losing the Penguins would be a setback for the Nailers’ program, as they have benefited from Pittsburgh’s prospects through the years. This season, they advanced to the Eastern Conference Final in the Kelly Cup Playoffs before losing in Game 5 to the Everblades. If their NHL affiliation ceases to exist, they will not disappear; however, they may lose their competitive edge for a season or two. ECHL affiliations change often and sometimes the locations do not make a lot of sense. However, Wheeling has been playing hockey for a long time and will continue to do so even if it has a new NHL affiliate.

If changing Pittsburgh’s ECHL affiliate to the Everblades does become the Hoffmann Family’s first act of business as the new owners, they may have to work at winning back some of the fanbase.