Nailers Announce 2024-25 Season-Opening Roster

WHEELING, WV- The Wheeling Nailers, proud ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, are excited to announce their 2024-25 Season-Opening Roster, as the team prepares to open its 33rd season on Friday night with a road contest against the Maine Mariners.

Head Coach Derek Army begins his fifth season behind the bench for the Nailers, and his 110 regular season wins as head coach are the third most in team history. Mitch Giguere begins his second season working with Army as his assistant coach, and the two helped lead the team to 38 regular season wins in 2023-24 - the most in the last decade. There is a new face on the coaching staff this season, as Karel Popper has joined the club as the goaltending coach, following three seasons as an assistant coach with the USHL's Chicago Steel. Wheeling, West Virginia's Bill Higgins returns for his 22nd season as the equipment manager, and November 2nd will be a milestone game for him, as he works his 1,500th regular season game. Lauren Rittle enters her third season as the athletic trainer, and she has helped pave the way, as the ECHL now has nine female athletic trainers.

Last season, the Nailers qualified for the Kelly Cup Playoffs and won a series for the second time in three years, as they defeated the Indy Fuel in five games. 11 players on Wheeling's 2024-25 season-opening roster played in that series, while six additional players have ECHL playoff experience. Six of the remaining seven players are rookies, and five of those are in the group of eight players who are under either NHL or AHL contract. The opening roster consists of 22 players - 15 forwards, five defensemen, and two goaltenders.

Starting in the crease, one goaltender played for the team last season, while one joined the organization earlier in the week. Both had successful rookie campaigns, which featured playoff wins. Jaxon Castor won four of his final five regular season starts for the Nailers to finish with a 10-4-1 regular season mark, then played in all five games in the opening round series win over Indy. Luke Richardson went 7-1-1 in 12 contests with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, then collected victories in both of his playoff appearances against Orlando. Both netminders stand tall both literally and figuratively, checking in at 6-foot-3.

On the blueline, three of the seven defensemen have played in Wheeling for multiple seasons. Veteran David Drake is 16 games away from jumping into the top ten in career games with the team, as he enters the year with 177. Drake has a +32 rating as a Nailer, and typically plays big minutes against top opposing players. Louie Roehl was an alternate captain last season, and the two-time NCAA National Champion has 33 points in his two years as a pro. Chris Ortiz returns to Wheeling after one season with the Trois-Rivières Lions. Ortiz is an offensive defenseman, who has notched 107 points in 167 ECHL matches. Phip Waugh made his pro debut with the Nailers in the spring, after completing his collegiate career at Mercyhurst University. Waugh registered two points in 12 games, then suited up in four playoff contests. Owen Norton played in 26 ECHL games last season with Norfolk and Newfoundland.

The red light will be ready to shine frequently with the forward crew that has been assembled. Leading scorer Jordan Martel returns after an outstanding year, which saw him score 29 goals in 45 games, following his trade from the Utah Grizzlies. David Jankowski was the top producer among rookie forwards last season, as he collected 37 points in 69 games. Matt Koopman was the only Nailer to play in all 71 regular season games and nine playoff contests, and he had 34 points to show for those efforts, including a league-best six shorthanded points. Matthew Quercia was the only Wheeling player with double digits in goals and assists, as well as triple digits in penalty minutes, as he finished 2023-24 with 11 goals, 22 assists, and 152 penalty minutes. Wheeling native and fan favorite Peter Laviolette III returns for his third season in his hometown, following back-to-back 11-point campaigns. Jared Westcott and Dustin Manz both joined the team at the conclusion of their college careers, and both got off to hot starts as pros, as Westcott netted four goals in six games, and Manz had a two-goal game.

Shifting to the forwards who weren't part of the 2023-24 squad, Nick Hutchison makes his return to Nail City for the first time since the 2021-22 season. Hutchison was over a point-per-game player with Wheeling, as he racked up 42 points in 31 games. Last year, he played in Sweden for Vasteras IK and AIK. Bennett MacArthur was acquired by the Pittsburgh Penguins in a trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning this summer. MacArthur totaled 32 points between Orlando and Allen a year ago. Kyle Jackson won a Brabham Cup and a Western Conference Championship with the Kansas City Mavericks last season, and was a big contributor to that success, as he had 44 points in 53 games. Gabe Klassen gets set to make his pro debut, following a 106-point season and back-to-back WHL US First All-Star Team nods with the Portland Winterhawks. Atley Calvert wasn't far behind Klassen in the WHL scoring leaders, as he had 95 points and won a league championship with the Moose Jaw Warriors. Jack Beck also had a big offensive season in the OHL last year, as he led the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds with 85 points, which pushed him over 200 for his junior career. Matty De St. Phalle already has his first pro goal under his belt from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the spring, as he joined the Penguins, after nearly producing a point-per-game in his final year at the University of Wisconsin. Logan Pietila captained Michigan State University to a CCHA Title and an appearance in the NCAA National Tournament, and had a career-best 29-point season in the process.

Catch all of the action all season long on the Nailers Broadcast Network presented by Main Street Bank. All of the games will air on radio on Mix 97.3, as well as via the iHeartRadio app. All home games will be televised locally on My Ohio Valley, thanks to WTRF. FloHockey remains the official streaming partner of the ECHL, and has also added the AHL to its coverage. DJ Abisalih returns for his 14th season as the Voice of the Nailers, and will broadcast his 1,000th game with the team on November 30th. Isaac Basinger begins his fifth season as the color commentator for all home games.

The regular season begins with a two-game series against one of Wheeling's newest divisional opponents, the Maine Mariners. Friday night's game starts at 7:15, then Saturday will have a 6:00 face-off. The Nailers will play their home opener on Saturday, November 2nd against the Bloomington Bison at 7:10. Swaggy P will be performing trick shots during both intermissions. Season memberships and other terrific ticket plans for the 2024-25 season are available now by calling (304) 234-GOAL. The Wheeling Nailers, considered one of the top things to do in Wheeling, West Virginia, provide affordable family entertainment for fans throughout the Ohio Valley.

2024-25 Wheeling Nailers Season-Opening Roster
#5-D-David Drake
#7-D-Owen Norton
#10-F-Dustin Manz
#11-F-Peter Laviolette III
#12-F-Nick Hutchison
#14-F-David Jankowski
#15-F-Jared Westcott
#18-D-Chris Ortiz
#22-F-Matthew Quercia
#28-D-Louie Roehl
#31-G-Luke Richardson
#36-F-Bennett MacArthur
#37-F-Kyle Jackson
#39-F-Matt Koopman
#40-G-Jaxon Castor
#43-F-Jack Beck
#49-F-Logan Pietila
#51-F-Jordan Martel
#54-F-Matty De St. Phalle
#57-D-Phip Waugh
#64-F-Gabe Klassen
#84-F-Atley Calvert