WHEELING, WV- The Wheeling Nailers are excited to announce their 13th player signing of the 2026 offseason. Wheeling has re-signed defenseman Tristan Thompson to an ECHL contract.
Thompson, 29, was originally acquired by the Nailers in a trade from the Maine Mariners in late January of this past season. After recording 14 points and a +4 rating in 33 games with Maine, Tristan saw his numbers improve even more with Wheeling, has he tallied 17 points and a +8 rating in 31 contests. The veteran blueliner added one goal and one assist in 15 playoff contests, and both of those points came during the game one victory for the Nailers over the Mariners in the North Division Final Series. Between the regular season and the playoffs, Wheeling was 10-2-2 when Thompson collected at least one point in a game.
This will be Tristan's sixth season as a pro, as well as his sixth in the ECHL, as he has also suited up with the Rapid City Rush, Savannah Ghost Pirates, and Adirondack Thunder. Statistically speaking, 2025-26 was Thompson's second best season individually, trailing only the 2022-23 campaign, when he led all Savannah defensemen with 42 points, while playing in all 72 regular season games. From a team standpoint, last season was also his first time playing in the Kelly Cup Playoffs, although he had won a Norwegian Championship with the Stavanger Oilers in 2021-22. Thompson's career totals in the ECHL are 23 goals, 120 assists, and 143 points in 261 games.
Prior to turning pro, the Canmore, Alberta native played four seasons of college hockey at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks from 2016-20. Tristan accumulated 18 goals, 33 assists, and 51 points in 136 career games with the Nanooks. His best individual season at school came in 2018-19, when he finished second on the team and first among defensemen with 20 points. Thompson also enjoyed success in junior hockey, which included an AJHL Championship while playing for former Nailers Head Coach Ryan Papaioannou and the Brooks Bandits in 2015-16.
Tristan Thompson 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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