Columbus Blue Jackets Name Wheeling Nailers ECHL Affiliate
After a few years of having no ECHL affiliate, the wait it over.
The Columbus Blue Jackets will be aligning themselves with the Wheeling Nailers of the ECHL, per a CBJ announcement. The agreement is for two years through the 2027-28 season.
Per a club statement, “We are excited to partner with the Wheeling Nailers as our new ECHL affiliate,” said Blue Jackets Assistant General Manager Chris Clark, who oversees hockey operations for the organization’s professional affiliates. “Wheeling has a long tradition of both player development and organizational success, and its proximity to both Cleveland and Columbus will be advantageous on the hockey side, while providing a great opportunity to promote our organization and the game throughout the region."
“We look forward to working with Head Coach Nate DiCasmirro, his staff and the entire Nailers organization while helping the young players in our system take the next step in their development.”
Also, per the press release, "Wheeling has been a fixture in the West Virginia professional sports landscape since 1992 and served as the longtime ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins for 28 seasons from 1998-2026. The club will compete in the ECHL’s Western Conference Central Division beginning in 2026-27 with the Bloomington Bison, Cincinnati Cyclones, Fort Wayne Komets, Indy Fuel, Kalamazoo Wings, and Toledo Walleye."
The CBJ haven't had an ECHL affiliate since 2023, when it was the Kalamazoo Wings.
After 29 years as the Pittsburgh Penguins' ECHL affiliate, the Pens changed their ECHL team to the Florida Everblades, which the Penguins' new owners, the Hoffmann Family, currently own.
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