The Columbus Blue Jackets and Wheeling Nailers partnership ends several months of speculation in the Appalachian hockey hub.
Wheeling, home to the Nailers since 1992, is the only professional hockey team in West Virginia. The Pittsburgh Penguins ended their long-term partnership with the Nailers last month. It was a mostly amicable parting. The Penguins acknowledged in their public press statement that the partnership ended for ‘unique’ reasons.
“The Penguins are grateful to the Wheeling Nailers for being a tremendous partner as our ECHL affiliate over the last 29 years. It is only because of very unique circumstances that we must say goodbye at this time. For nearly three decades, the Nailers have been an invaluable part of the organization’s player development process. The Nailers constant dedication to working with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and our player development staff have delivered countless players tha have impacted our organization.”
The agreement with Columbus also extends to its AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters.
We’re joining the Fifth Line!
We are excited to officially announce our new affiliation with @BlueJacketsNHL (@NHL) and @monstershockey (@TheAHL)!
Be part of this exciting new chapter by securing your seats for the 2026-27 season. Season tickets, flex packages, group outings,… pic.twitter.com/YJjinVrqhe
— Wheeling Nailers (@WheelingNailers) August 6, 2026
The Penguins are teaming up with the Florida Everblades of the ECHL, their first new affiliate in that league in 29 years. The Hoffman Family of Companies, newly minted owners of the Pittsburgh Penguins, also own the Everblades. It made the partnership a natural fit.
DJ Abisalih, Wheeling Nailers play-by-play and Vice President of Community Relations and Communications, noted to Heavy in July that the Nailers brass knew this was a possibility once the new Penguins ownership deal closed.
The Geography of This Wheeling Nailers Partnership
Wheeling is essentially a sister city to Pittsburgh, due west. The end of that partnership could have been a major concern for the Nailers, who had previously dealt with attendance issues. Losing a nearby NHL affiliate could have been a potential problem.
Instead, fans of the Jackets won’t have to go far if they want to see their ECHL affiliate. Wheeling is a two-hour straight shot east of Columbus. The Nailers are coming off a terrific season, earning a trip to the semifinals in the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Wheeling has been a driver of hockey in a state that traditionally hasn’t had much affiliation with the sport. Half of the high school hockey teams in West Virginia are in the Wheeling area. Those three teams are the only ones in the state to have teams specifically affiliated with one school. The other three teams in West Virginia are unified regional teams from the Morgantown area, the Charleston area and the state’s Eastern Panhandle.
Wheeling-to-Cleveland, which is the path more likely to be traveled by players back and forth, is only a little longer, by about 38 miles, according to a press release by the Nailers.
“We are excited to begin our new partnership with the Columbus Blue Jackets and Cleveland Monsters,” said Nailers President & Governor Brian Komorowski. “Geographically, this makes all of the sense in the world for us.”
The geographic element of the Columbus, Cleveland and Wheeling Nailers partnership made sense from the moment rumors began swirling about Pittsburgh ending its affiliation with Wheeling.
Filling a Void in Columbus
Once upon a time, Columbus and Wheeling both had ECHL teams that served as rivals. That was before the Blue Jackets arrived in 2000. The ECHL’s Columbus Chill were still in the city. Now, the once-rival cities are the link for a Wheeling Nailers partnership.
Not every team needs an ECHL affiliate, but there are numerous reasons that it’s helpful. As Abisalih mentioned to Heavy last month, ECHL affiliates can help produce critical talent for the AHL and NHL. Columbus Blue Jackets Assistant General Manager Chris Clark will oversee hockey operations for the organization’s professional affiliates in Cleveland now Wheeling.
“We are excited to partner with the Wheeling Nailers as our new ECHL affiliate,” Clark said. “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.”
Wheeling opens their season on Oct. 24 versus the Toledo Walleye in Wheeling.
Columbus Blue Jackets Partner with Former Penguins ECHL Affiliate