New Mexico Goatheads Add Matt Register to Inaugural Coaching Staff

What happened:

Watch the highlights:

The New Mexico Goatheads, the Colorado Avalanche's ECHL affiliate, named Matt Register as assistant coach ahead of the franchise's inaugural season, according to Yahoo Sports. The announcement came shortly after the club made its first roster move, giving head coach Zack Storini an early staff addition before games begin.

Register arrives with a long minor-league playing background as a defenseman. The source identifies him as a former ECHL standout, which matters for a new club trying to build not just a roster, but a working professional environment from scratch. Expansion seasons are not only about player acquisition; they are also about setting standards quickly enough that camp, systems work, and early-season evaluation do not feel improvised.

Why it matters:

For an inaugural ECHL team, an assistant coach with deep league familiarity can shorten the adjustment curve. The Goatheads will need to evaluate players, install structure, manage travel routines, and build special-teams habits while also introducing a new market to the rhythm of the league. Register's value, based on the confirmed information, is less about a single tactical promise and more about practical ECHL knowledge inside the room.

Tournament impact:

The Goatheads open their 2026-27 campaign on Oct. 16 against the Allen Americans at Rio Rancho Events Center. That date now has a clearer competitive frame: New Mexico is not only preparing its first game, it is assembling the staff that will define how quickly the club can become organized enough to compete in the ECHL standings. The Avalanche affiliation also adds another layer, because player development and day-to-day competitiveness have to coexist.

What to watch:

The next signals will be roster construction, training camp invites, and how the Goatheads describe responsibilities on Storini's staff. If Register is used heavily with defensemen, transition play, or development work, that would fit his playing background, but the source does not specify his exact portfolio. Until the club details those duties, the confirmed takeaway is that New Mexico has added an assistant coach with significant minor-league experience before its first season.

Confidence:

Confirmed by the source: Matt Register has been named assistant coach, Zack Storini is the head coach, New Mexico is the Avalanche's ECHL affiliate, and the Goatheads open Oct. 16 against Allen at Rio Rancho Events Center. Still needing follow-up: Register's specific coaching responsibilities, the full staff structure, and how the inaugural roster will look once camp approaches.