(Albuquerque, New Mexico) Friday, May 31, 2019 – The New Mexico Ice Wolves™ are preparing for their first ever NAHL Entry Draft with the second overall pick in the draft which takes places Tuesday, June 4, 2019. In addition to the second overall pick the NM Ice Wolves have 12 additional draft picks throughout subsequent rounds. The draft will mark another team first as the NM Ice Wolves continue preparations for its inaugural season in the NAHL’s Southern Division playing out of Outpost Ice Arenas in Albuquerque, NM. The public and members of the press can watch the 2019 NAHL Entry Draft live on nahldraft.com and hockeytv.com starting at 12pm MT on Tuesday, June 4, 2019.
“As a new team and this being our first ever draft as an organization this is very exciting and we want to make a big splash in the league,” said New Mexico Ice Wolves Head Coach and General Manager Phil Fox. “We are looking to acquire players that will be great contributors to the team and help create the culture we want for our organization going forward. Whether that’s the player coming in immediately or taking a risk on player that could end up with you later in the year. Right now on our draft board we have American, Canadian, Swedish and Czech players that we could possibly draft with our first pick.”
“As we prepare for Tuesday’s draft we are aiming to add players who bring a high hockey IQ and also high character who will represent the NM Ice Wolves with class in the community and on ice,” said New Mexico Ice Wolves Assistant General Manager and Associate Head Coach Keenan Kelly. “As a first year team we are targeting players who will make the team to be competitive out of the gate while building a foundation to become a premier organization for development and moving players on to higher levels of hockey.”
Following Tuesday’s NAHL Draft, the NM Ice Wolves will have 30 total players on its protected list made up of its draft picks and tendered players. Currently the NM Ice Wolves have 15 players on tendered contracts which grants the team player rights to avoid losing them before the draft. The roster will be firmly shaped up after the NM Ice Wolves main camp which is being held Wednesday, July 24-27 at the Outpost Ice Arenas in Albuquerque, NM. The main camp is open to the public and is an exciting opportunity to see future NM Ice Wolves battle it out on the ice for a spot on the team.
The NM Ice Wolves are led by Head Coach and GM Phil Fox who is joined by Assistant General Manager and Associate Head Coach Keenan Kelly as well as Assistant Coach Kyle Follmer. Last April the NM Ice Wolves unveiled its new logo which is designed to reflect the team’s home in the Land of Enchantment. The logo incorporates several New Mexico elements including the official state colors which are the red and yellow of Old Spain as well as the icy turquoise eyes that share the color with the state stone. The Zia symbol is quietly reflected in the eyes and highlighted along the snout. The iconic Sandia Mountains are given a nod in the transition from red to yellow across the Ice Wolf’s face as well as on the lower jaw where glistening stars and the moon show off New Mexico’s big, endless and almost always clear skies. Finally, the nose itself pays homage to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta which in modern New Mexico has become our state’s calling card to much of the world. The logo can be downloaded here.
This past February the New Mexico Ice Wolves were granted an expansion franchise in the North American Hockey League (NAHL) as a new team competing in the league’s South Division beginning in the 2019-2020 season and will play out of Outpost Ice Arenas in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The Outpost Ice Arenas is currently undergoing major renovations prior to the start of the season including bleachers that will be upgraded to provide premium VIP stadium seating, new NHL style plexiglass for seamless viewing, an updated restaurant and snack bar menu, party rooms that will be upgraded for fans and sponsors and a very unique set of connecting ice tunnels that allow fans to watch from the ice while also skating in the auxiliary rink. The Outpost Ice Arenas is open to the public and all renovations are slated for completion before the NAHL season debuts in October. People interested in season ticket information as soon as it is ready can sign up online at www.NMIceWolves.com to get updates on tickets and other special events.
The New Mexico Ice Wolves NAHL team will announce additional staff and tryout dates in the upcoming weeks, as well as season ticket and sponsorship information. You can learn more about the New Mexico Ice Wolves on their NAHL Team Page or on social media on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
For team media inquiries, please contact Aaron Martinez at 505-212-8762 or amartinez@reelz.com