WHEELING, WV- The Wheeling Nailers are excited to announce their fourth player signing of the 2026 offseason. Wheeling has re-signed defenseman Alexander Kuqali to an ECHL contract.
Kuqali, 35, joined the Nailers in February of this past season, and made an immediate impact both on the ice and in the locker room. Alexander appeared in 23 regular season games and produced one goal, three assists, four points, and a +2 rating. He also suited up in 16 of the club's 17 contests during the Kelly Cup Playoffs and dished out two assists. The blueliner scored his first goal in a Wheeling uniform during a 6-2 win at Reading on April 11th, then played in his 300th career ECHL game the following day, when the Nailers clinched the North Division. The Nailers are Kuqali's fifth ECHL team, as he has also played for Florida, Quad City, Orlando, and Fort Wayne. He also spent three seasons in Europe with the EIHL's Coventry Blaze. Between the ECHL and the EIHL, Alexander has amassed 27 goals, 95 assists, and 122 points in 453 professional games.
Prior to turning pro, the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native played four years of college hockey at the Rochester Institute of Technology from 2012-16. The Tigers won two Atlantic Hockey Tournament Championships during his time there, and Kuqali was named to the All-Tournament Team during his senior season when he served as the team's captain. One year earlier, RIT earned one of its three victories all-time at the NCAA National Tournament, 2-1 over Minnesota State. Alexander scored the opening goal of that contest.
Alexander is the second member of his family to play for the Nailers. His older brother Nicholas played in 25 games for Wheeling during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. The Kuqali brothers are both coaches in the Pittsburgh Predators Hockey Club, which is a youth hockey organization that plays out of Ice Castle Arena. Former Nailer Tyler Murovich is the Hockey Director for the Predators, and former Nailer Andrew Schmit also works as one of the coaches.
Alexander Kuqali and the Wheeling Nailers will begin the 2026-27 season in Indy on Friday, October 16th. The first home game is Saturday, October 24th against the Toledo Walleye. For information about season tickets, group tickets, ticket packages, and more, call (304) 234-GOAL or visit wheelingnailers.com. 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.
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