- Wheeling Nailers
Pro hockey team
text_color = #C5B358
bg_color = black
team = Wheeling Nailers
logosize = 180px
city =Wheeling, West Virginia
league =ECHL
conference = American Conference
division = North Division
founded =1988
arena =WesBanco Arena
colors = Black, Red, Vegas Gold, White
owner = Jim and Rob Brooks
coach = Greg Puhalski
media = Wheeling News-Register
WKWK-FM
affiliates =Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL)Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)The Wheeling Nailers are anECHL ice hockey team based inWheeling, West Virginia .The Wheeling Nailers are the ECHL Affiliate of the
Pittsburgh Penguins of theNHL and theWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL.Franchise history
One of the oldest low-minor league hockey teams, the franchise began play in 1982 in the
Atlantic Coast Hockey League as the Carolina Thunderbirds based inWinston-Salem , North Carolina. The team, along with the Virginia Lancers, joined the All-American Hockey League in 1987, which lasted just the 1987-88 season, after which the Thunderbirds, Lancers, andJohnstown Chiefs formed the basis for the modernECHL , of which the Thunderbirds won the first ECHL playoff championship, then known as the Jack Riley Cup, defeating theJohnstown Chiefs , 4-3 for the 1988-89 season. They became the Winston-Salem Thunderbirds in1990 and moved to Wheeling in1992 .After a trademark dispute with the junior league
Seattle Thunderbirds , the club became the Nailers for the1996 -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.While they were still the Wheeling Thunderbirds, members of the team in 1994-95 also participated in the filming of the Jean-Claude Van Damme movie "
Sudden Death ". Because of the NHL lockout, the scene where Van Damme's character attempts to stop a bomber from bombing Mellon Arena during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals was filmed with players from the Chiefs and Thunderbirds.The team plays at the
WesBanco Arena (formerly the Wheeling Civic Center). After missing the playoffs for five straight seasons, they had a 106-point season in 2003-04. They were defeated by theReading 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.Main rival
The Nailers main rival inside the ECHL is the Johnstown Chiefs, and both teams have been rivals for 20 seasons, counting the ACHL year before they became the ECHL. For the 2007-08 season, opening night will feature the two teams wearing 1988-89 era jerseys to celebrate the 20th ECHL season.
eason-by-season results
Regular Season
Notable Nailers
*
Peter Laviolette -Carolina Hurricanes head coach
*Tomáš Vokoun -Florida Panthers goaltender
*David Aebischer -Phoenix Coyotes goaltender
*David Kočí -Chicago Blackhawks left winger
*Michel Ouellet -Tampa Bay Lightning right winger
*Drew Fata -Phoenix Coyotes defenceman
*Dany Sabourin -Pittsburgh Penguins goaltender
*Daniel Carcillo -Phoenix Coyotes left wingerReferences
External links
* [http://www.wheelingnailers.com Wheeling Nailers]
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