Wheeling Nailers
The Wheeling Nailers are an ECHL ice hockey team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. They are the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL.
Franchise history
One of the oldest low-minor league hockey teams, the franchise began play in 1981 in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League as the Carolina Thunderbirds based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The Thunderbirds were hugely successful on the ice, winning four consecutive regular season titles and were three-time Bob Paine Trophy winners as league champions.[1] In 1987, the ACHL folded and the team joined the All-American Hockey League, which lasted just the 1987–88 season. The Thunderbirds, Virginia Lancers, and Johnstown Chiefs then became the basis for the East Coast Hockey League, now known as the ECHL. The Thunderbirds won the first ECHL playoff championship, then known as the Jack Riley Cup, defeating Johnstown. They became the Winston-Salem Thunderbirds in 1990 and moved to Wheeling in 1992 under the leadership of president and co-owner Ed Broyhill.
After a trademark dispute with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the Western Hockey League, the club became the Nailers for the 1996–97 season when the franchise held a contest open to local fans, which was won by C. J. Wickham of Steubenville, Ohio. The name "Nailers" was chosen for the city's long history of nail manufacturing. The team colors are black, red, and Vegas gold.
The team plays at the WesBanco Arena (formerly the Wheeling Civic Center), and will also use the Cambria County War Memorial Arena in Johnstown, Pennsylvania as an alternative venue during the 2010-2011 season.[2] After missing the playoffs for five straight seasons, they had a 106-point season in 2003–04. They were defeated by the Reading Royals in 5 games, 3-2. In season 2005–06 they had a great season making it to the second round of the playoffs losing to Toledo in the final second of the final game.
In addition to winning the inaugural ECHL champion in the playoffs, the Nailers hold the record with three regular season Brabham Cup titles.
In August 2011, the Nailers moved to the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division as part of the league realignment for the 2011–12 season. The Chicago Express took the North Division spot vacated by the Nailers.[3]
Season-by-season results
Regular season
| Season |
Games |
Won |
Lost |
Tied |
OTL |
SOL |
Points |
Goals
for |
Goals
against |
Standing |
| 1992–93 |
64 |
40 |
16 |
— |
8 |
— |
88 |
314 |
223 |
1st, East |
| 1993–94 |
68 |
38 |
23 |
— |
7 |
— |
83 |
327 |
289 |
3rd, North |
| 1994–95 |
68 |
46 |
17 |
— |
5 |
— |
97 |
313 |
243 |
1st, North |
| 1995–96 |
70 |
42 |
23 |
— |
— |
5 |
89 |
289 |
261 |
2nd, North |
| 1996–97 |
70 |
36 |
29 |
5 |
— |
— |
77 |
298 |
291 |
4th, North |
| 1997–98 |
70 |
37 |
24 |
9 |
— |
— |
83 |
255 |
255 |
2nd, North |
| 1998–99 |
70 |
27 |
37 |
6 |
— |
— |
60 |
206 |
249 |
6th, Northeast |
| 1999–2000 |
70 |
25 |
40 |
5 |
— |
— |
55 |
202 |
246 |
5th, Northeast |
| 2000–01 |
72 |
24 |
40 |
8 |
— |
— |
56 |
192 |
277 |
5th, Northeast |
| 2001–02 |
72 |
36 |
32 |
4 |
— |
— |
76 |
213 |
208 |
5th, Northeast |
| 2002–03 |
72 |
28 |
41 |
3 |
— |
— |
59 |
193 |
261 |
6th, Northeast |
| 2003–04 |
72 |
51 |
17 |
4 |
— |
— |
106 |
259 |
188 |
1st, North |
| 2004–05 |
72 |
38 |
29 |
5 |
— |
— |
81 |
171 |
173 |
6th, North |
| 2005–06 |
72 |
45 |
21 |
6 |
— |
— |
96 |
247 |
186 |
2nd, East |
| 2006–07 |
72 |
32 |
34 |
6 |
— |
— |
70 |
215 |
255 |
7th, North |
| 2007–08 |
72 |
22 |
43 |
— |
3 |
4 |
51 |
186 |
284 |
7th, North |
| 2008–09 |
72 |
36 |
28 |
— |
2 |
6 |
80 |
263 |
260 |
4th, North |
| 2009–10 |
72 |
33 |
35 |
— |
2 |
5 |
73 |
240 |
249 |
4th, North |
| 2010–11 |
72 |
38 |
29 |
— |
0 |
5 |
81 |
230 |
210 |
2nd, North |
Playoffs
| Season |
Preliminary |
1st round |
2nd round |
3rd round |
Kelly Cup finals |
| 1992–93 |
— |
Bye |
W, 3-1, Johnstown |
W, 4-2, Raleigh |
L, 2-4, Toledo |
| 1993–94 |
— |
W, 2-0, Nashville |
W, 3-1, Hampton |
L, 0-3, Toledo |
— |
| 1994–95 |
— |
L, 0-3, Birgmingham |
— |
— |
— |
| 1995–96 |
— |
W, 3-0, Columbus |
L, 1-3, Tallahassee |
— |
— |
| 1996–97 |
— |
L, 0-3, Peoria |
— |
— |
— |
| 1997–98 |
— |
W, 3-2, Dayton |
W, 3-1, Toledo |
L, 2-4, Hampton |
— |
| 1998–99 |
Out of playoffs |
| 1999–2000 |
Out of playoffs |
| 2000–01 |
Out of playoffs |
| 2001–02 |
Out of playoffs |
| 2002–03 |
Out of playoffs |
| 2003–04 |
— |
L, 2-3, Reading |
— |
— |
— |
| 2004–05 |
Out of playoffs |
| 2005–06 |
— |
W, 3-1, Reading |
L, 2-3, Toledo |
— |
— |
| 2006–07 |
Out of playoffs |
| 2007–08 |
Out of playoffs |
| 2008–09 |
— |
L, 3-4, Cincinnati |
— |
— |
— |
| 2009–10 |
Out of playoffs |
| 2010–11 |
— |
W, 3-1, South Carolina |
W, 4-3, Greenville |
L, 2-4, Kalamazoo |
— |
Current roster
Updated December 17, 2011.[4]
| # |
Nat |
Player |
Pos |
S/G |
Age |
Acquired |
Birthplace |
Contract |
| 19 |
Canada ! |
Bedard, MikaelMikael Bedard |
6.0 !LW |
R |
24 |
2010 |
Ottawa, Ontario |
Nailers |
| 20 |
United States ! |
Bushee, KyleKyle Bushee |
2.0 !D |
L |
26 |
2009 |
Otsego, Michigan |
IceCaps |
| 22 |
Canada ! |
Crowder, PaulPaul Crowder (C) |
4.0 !C |
R |
27 |
2011 |
Victoria, British Columbia |
Nailers |
| 4 |
Canada ! |
Dame-Malka, OlivierOlivier Dame-Malka |
2.0 !D |
R |
21 |
2011 |
Montreal, Quebec |
Bulldogs |
| 29 |
Canada ! |
Delmas, PeterPeter Delmas |
1.0 !G |
L |
22 |
2010 |
Bedford, Nova Scotia |
Canadiens |
| 14 |
Canada ! |
Farrer, BenBen Farrer |
3.0 !F |
L |
23 |
2011 |
Calgary, Alberta |
Nailers |
| 15 |
United States ! |
Hansen, ZachZach Hansen |
2.0 !D |
L |
24 |
2010 |
White Bear Lake, Minnesota |
Nailers |
| 16 |
Canada ! |
Hotham, AndrewAndrew Hotham |
2.0 !D |
R |
25 |
2011 |
Barrie, Ontario |
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton |
| 10 |
United States ! |
Johnson, PatrickPatrick Johnson |
4.0 !C |
L |
22 |
2011 |
Madison, Wisconsin |
Nailers |
| 18 |
Canada ! |
Kushneriuk, PatrickPatrick Kushneriuk |
3.0 !F |
R |
25 |
2010 |
Ottawa, Ontario |
Nailers |
| 1 |
Canada ! |
Killeen, PatrickPatrick Killeen |
1.0 !G |
R |
21 |
2010 |
Carp, Ontario |
Pittsburgh |
| 12 |
United States ! |
Lombardi, MattMatt Lombardi |
3.0 !F |
R |
24 |
2011 |
Milton, Massachusetts |
Nailers |
| 27 |
Canada ! |
Manderson, DenverDenver Manderson |
6.0 !LW |
R |
22 |
2011 |
Fergus, Ontario |
Nailers |
| 11 |
United States ! |
Minella, ChrisChris Minella |
3.0 !F |
R |
26 |
2010 |
Cincinnati, Ohio |
Nailers |
| 24 |
Canada ! |
Priamo, TimTim Priamo |
2.0 !D |
R |
23 |
2011 |
Guelph, Ontario |
Nailers |
| 21 |
United States ! |
Thompson, PaulPaul Thompson |
3.0 !F |
R |
23 |
2011 |
Methuen, Massachusetts |
Pittsburgh |
| 28 |
United States ! |
Tolles, JoeJoe Tolles |
2.0 !D |
L |
23 |
2011 |
Toledo, Ohio |
Nailers |
| 7 |
Canada ! |
Torquato, ZackZack Torquato |
4.0 !C |
R |
22 |
2011 |
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario |
Nailers |
Notable Nailers Alumni
- David Aebischer G - Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens, Phoenix Coyotes
- Paul Bissonnette LW - Pittsburgh Penguins, Phoenix Coyotes
- Francis Bouillon D - Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators
- Martin Brochu G - Washington Capitals, Vancouver Canucks, Pittsburgh Penguins
- Daniel Carcillo LW - Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers
- Andy Chiodo G - Pittsburgh Penguins
- John Curry G - Pittsburgh Penguins
- Jeff Daw C - Colorado Avalanche
- Drew Fata D - New York Islanders
- Craig Ferguson C - Montreal Canadiens, Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers
- Scott Ferguson D - Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Minnesota Wild
- Scott Fraser RW - Montreal Canadiens, Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers
- Joaquin Gage G - Edmonton Oilers
- Jason Jaffray LW - Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames
- Joe Jensen LW - Carolina Hurricanes
- Nick Johnson LW - Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild
- David Koci LW - Chicago Blackhawks, Tampa Bay Lightning, St. Louis Blues, Colorado Avalanche
- Zenon Konopka C - Anaheim Mighty Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Tampa Bay Lightning
- Patrick Labrecque G -Montreal Canadiens
- David Laliberte RW - Philadelphia Flyers
- Peter Laviolette Head Coach - Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers
- Marc Lamothe G - Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings
- Mark Letestu C - Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets
- Darcy Martini D - Edmonton Oilers
- Marquis Mathieu C - Boston Bruins
- Kurtis McLean C - New York Islanders
- Mike Minard G - Edmonton Oilers
- Michel Ouellet RW - Pittsburgh Penguins, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vancouver Canucks
- Cam Paddock C - St. Louis Blues
- Marc Rodgers RW - Detroit Red Wings
- Dany Sabourin G - Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks
- Yves Sarault G - Montreal Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche, Ottawa Senators, Atlanta Thrashers, Nashville Predators
- Daniel Taylor G - Los Angeles Kings
- Darcy Verot LW -Washington Capitals
- Terry Virtue D - Boston Bruins, New York Rangers
- Mark Visheau D - Los Angeles Kings
- Tomas Vokoun G - Nashville Predators, Florida Panthers, Washington Capitals
- Tim Wallace RW - Pittsburgh Penguins[5]
Head coaches
References
External links
|
|
|
| Franchise |
|
|
| Culture and lore |
|
|
| Arenas |
|
|
| Affiliates |
|
|
| Television |
|
|
| Radio |
|
|
| Rivalries |
|
|
|
|
|
| Western Conference |
Eastern Conference |
|
|
|
|
|
Atlantic Division
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Wheeling Nailers
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Category · Portal
|
|