Gargoyle takes pretty form for new Greensboro team

The Triad city is launching another venture into professional hockey

The Greensboro Gargoyles will be the new ECHL team starting play in October at the First Bank Coliseum in Greensboro. (PJ Ward-Brown / North State Journal)

GREENSBORO – Even before Andy Kaufmann got around to revealing the name of the newest hockey team in Greensboro, he was fired up by what he witnessed last week.

“What ended up being more special was seeing 1,500 people line up outside an hour before the actual announcement,” said Kaufmann, who’s CEO of team owner Zawyer Sports & Entertainment.

Then came the reveal: The team will be called the Greensboro Gargoyles.

It’s the latest venture into professional hockey in Greensboro, which has been the home of various pro levels at the city’s famed coliseum.

Now, it’s a return to ECHL, becoming the 30th franchise in the circuit. The Gargoyles’ season begins in October.

“It’s great to be back in Greensboro,” ECHL commissioner Ryan Crelin said. “We’ve been here a couple times before, but it’s great to get professional hockey and, notably ECHL hockey, back in Greensboro.”

Kaufmann said there are clear signals that the new team will have a special bond with the community.

“I already saw that evidence before I even got to say the name of the team,” Kaufmann said. “It wasn’t our name. It was the community who named it. We are grateful to the community for that.”

Team officials said more than 2,000 people submitted suggestions with nicknames and logos. The logo is a stone monster watching over and protecting the city.

“I love the ability that minor league sports has in general to go a little bit outside the box and have some fun with it,” Crelin said. “It’s a new color scheme for our league as well.”

Those colors are what’s described as Gargoyle Grape, Greensboro Gold and Midnight.

Greensboro’s hockey past has included the ECHL, American Hockey League and two seasons in the late 1999s of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes before they moved to their permanent home in Raleigh.

The best part for the Gargoyles is still to come, Kauffman said.

There will be the unveiling of a mascot, an announcement of an NHL affiliate, a first player signing and special offseason events in the community.

“It’s going to be a year-round love affair,” Kaufmann said.

Crelin is aiming to push the ECHL’s membership to 32 teams to match the number of NHL franchises. Greensboro is a natural link in that process.

“This is a great part of the country, kind of a connector to the south and north divisions for us,” Crelin said. “Off the cuff, you say Greensboro is a nontraditional hockey market. But hockey has been here a long, long time.”

The team will have a 36-game home schedule.

The arena, now named First Horizon Coliseum, is the home of the ECHL’s single-game attendance record of 20,911 set with the Greensboro Monarchs 31 years ago this month.

“We set the attendance record in 1994,” Crelin said. “This building will give us the opportunity to set it (again) in 2025.”

Kaufmann said there will be countless special occasions connected to the Gargoyles.

“This team is going to be here to stay,” he said.