Penguins switch ECHL affiliates to Everblades

The Pittsburgh Penguins have officially ended their 29-year affiliation with the Wheeling Nailers, marking the conclusion of the longest-standing ECHL partnership in the NHL. According to Yahoo Sports, this move follows the recent sale of the Penguins to the Hoffmann Family of Companies, who indicated their intention to switch to the Florida Everblades as the new ECHL affiliate.

Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas expressed gratitude towards the Nailers for their long-standing partnership, stating, 'The Nailers have run a first-class operation for many years.' The Everblades, already owned by the Hoffmann family, have been a successful franchise, having won four of the last five Kelly Cup championships.

This shift in affiliation could impact player development and scouting as any player in the Penguins’ organization signed to NHL or AHL contracts can now be assigned to Florida, while those under ECHL agreements will remain with Wheeling.

The Penguins expressed their best wishes for the future of the Nailers, acknowledging their significant contributions during the partnership, as reported by both Yahoo Sports and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.