Penguins partner with Everblades
The Pittsburgh Penguins have officially named the Florida Everblades as the organization’s new ECHL affiliate. This announcement was made by Kyle Dubas, President of Hockey Operations and General Manager for the Penguins. The Everblades, based in Estero, Florida, will serve as the secondary developmental affiliate for the Penguins, joining the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League (AHL) as the primary developmental affiliate.
The partnership with the Everblades is set to begin with the upcoming 2026-27 campaign. Jason Spezza, Penguins Assistant General Manager, noted the importance of a three-tiered development model involving the NHL, AHL, and ECHL. The Everblades operate out of Estero, Florida, within the Cape Coral-Fort Myers metropolitan area.
End of long-standing affiliation with Nailers
The Penguins formally ended their affiliation agreement with the Wheeling Nailers, a partnership that had lasted for nearly three decades. This decision was anticipated, particularly since the Hoffmann Family of Companies, which owns the Everblades, has been pursuing a sale of the Penguins since the 2025 offseason. The Hoffmann group acquired the Everblades in 2019.
The affiliation with the Nailers, which began in 1998, was the longest active agreement between an NHL and ECHL club. Dubas expressed gratitude to the Nailers for their role in the organization’s player development process over 29 years. The Nailers are situated in the northern panhandle of West Virginia, offering a relatively short travel distance from Pittsburgh.
Historically, this proximity allowed the Penguins to assign players to Wheeling to manage salary cap figures without the longer drive to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Several players who contributed to the Penguins’ Stanley Cup victories in 2016 and 2017, including Josh Archibald, Carter Rowney, and Tom Kuhnhackl, spent time developing with the Nailers. Kuhnhackl, a third-round draft pick in 2010, developed his defensive skills with the Nailers, becoming a key penalty killer for the championship teams.
In the recent past, Dubas prioritized the Nailers for prospect development. Last season, former Nailers goaltender Sergei Murashov and forward Avery Hayes made their NHL debuts with the Penguins. Additionally, in April, Nailers goaltender Taylor Gauthier was recalled to serve as a backup for an afternoon home game due to an unexpected eye injury to veteran goaltender Stuart Skinner, with Gauthier’s ability to make the short drive from Wheeling being a factor.
Everblades’ success and future outlook
The Florida Everblades have a notable history in the ECHL, founded in 1998. They are recognized as one of the most successful clubs in the league’s history, having won five Kelly Cups, including championships in four of the last five seasons (2026, 2024, 2023, 2022). They are also the only team to have won the Kelly Cup in three consecutive seasons. The Everblades have qualified for the postseason in 25 of their 26 seasons and hold the ECHL record for both playoff games played and playoff wins.
Under the leadership of Craig Brush and Head Coach Brad Ralph, the Everblades have achieved significant success. Ralph is among the top coaches in ECHL history, with 584 career victories. The Everblades were previously an affiliate of the St. Louis Blues, but that agreement concluded earlier this offseason.
The sale of the Penguins to the Hoffmann group was formally approved by the NHL on June 23. David Hoffmann, patriarch of the Hoffmann group, expressed a clear desire for the Everblades to become the Penguins’ new ECHL affiliate during an introductory news conference on June 25. Players signed to NHL or AHL contracts with Pittsburgh or Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will report to Florida if assigned there, while players on ECHL contracts will remain with Wheeling.
The future of Nailers head coach Ryan Papaioannou, an employee of the Penguins, remains unresolved. Papaioannou guided the Nailers to a 46-20-3-3 record and the North Division title last season. The Nailers’ president and governor, Brian Komorowski, stated that the team has begun discussions with other NHL teams regarding future affiliations.
Dubas, speaking after the first round of the NHL Draft on June 26, acknowledged the unique circumstances surrounding the change and emphasized that Wheeling is considered a strong market for the ECHL.
Source: nhl.com