More hockey is coming to the state of New Jersey. We learned last year that the city of Trenton, New Jersey’s state capital, is getting a new ECHL team. The ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies are going to be relocating to Trenton. They will be playing in the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton. The arena previously housed the Devils' ECHL affiliate, the Trenton Titans, which was renamed the Devils in 2007 after the Devils acquired them, before reverting to the Titans for the 2011 season.
Puck drop on the first season will come in October, so there’s a lot of work to be done to get the team in place. First and foremost, we need a name. What will this new team be called? Will we see a nostalgic name like the Titans, similar to what the Winnipeg Jets did when they moved back?
We learned on Tuesday that the new team will be wiping the slate clean and focusing on a path forward. However, the new name is pretty sick and has a nice tie to the city.
After more than 2,000 submissions in a name-the-team contest, the @ECHL's newest team was revealed as the Trenton Ironhawks - a nod to the city's iron industry and its grit and strength.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) January 13, 2026
The @trentonironhawks begin play in October at Cure Insurance Arena in Trenton, NJ. pic.twitter.com/6BgRjOeLlD
As Frank Seravalli of Bleacher Report says, there were more than 2,000 submissions for name options, and they went with "Ironhawks." For those who don't know, Trenton has a history of iron and metal works that goes back centuries. In the mid-1800s, a Trenton factory created the first structural wrought iron rail beams for skyscrapers.
According to the team, 650 fans have already signed up for season tickets.
""The hawk symbolizes strength and spirit, while the iron industry and its workers remain vital to Trenton’s economy through their grit and determination. By combining these elements into Ironhawks, we honor Trenton and reflect the team we are building, representing the city and the surrounding region, including Central New Jersey and Bucks County, Pennsylvania.""Bob Ohrablo, team president
The team's press release went on to say that the arena was going through upgrades to make it a great experience for fans once they open for business. As of now, the Ironhawks do not have an agreement with an NHL team. If they don't put something together before the season starts, they'll have to sign players to ECHL-only deals, similar to what the Chicago Wolves have done in the past in the AHL.
The Devils still have an agreement with the Adirondack Thunder to be their ECHL affiiliate. However, that agreement ends after this season. The Devils could pursue an agreement with the Ironhawks after this season.