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NHL Alumni

NHL Alumni

Wheeling has developed more NHL talent than any other team in ECHL history. As of the 2024-25 season, 69 former Nailers/Thunderbirds reached the NHL, with 62 doing so as players and seven as either coaches, trainers, equipment managers, broadcasters, or officials.

Players

 PlayerPositionNHL TeamsYears in WheelingNHL Debut
aebischer-6516f07517e1a.png

 

 

David Aebischer

 

 

Goaltender

 

 

COL, MTL, PHX

 

 

1997-98

 

 

Oct. 18, 2000

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Josh Archibald

 

 

Forward

 

 

PIT, AZ, EDM

 

 

2014-15

 

 

Mar. 5, 2016

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Paul Bissonnette

 

 

Defenseman

 

 

PIT, PHX

 

 

2005-08

 

 

Oct. 4, 2008

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Patrick Bordeleau

 

 

Forward

 

 

COL

 

 

2007-08

 

 

Jan. 19, 2013

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Francis Bouillon

 

 

Defenseman

 

 

MTL, NSH

 

 

1996-97

 

 

Oct. 2, 1999

brochu-6516f077323d4.png

 

 

Martin Brochu

 

 

Goaltender

 

 

WSH, VAN, PIT

 

 

1995-96, 2003-04

 

 

Apr. 14, 1999

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Luca Caputi

 

 

Forward

 

 

PIT, TOR

 

 

2008-09

 

 

Feb. 3, 2009

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Daniel Carcillo

 

 

Forward

 

 

PHX, PHI, CHI, LA, NYR

 

 

2005-06

 

 

Mar. 3, 2007

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Andy Chiodo

 

 

Goaltender

 

 

PIT

 

 

2003-06

 

 

Feb. 18, 2004

condon-6516f06c68162.png

 

 

Mike Condon

 

 

Goaltender

 

 

MTL, PIT, OTT

 

 

2013-14

 

 

Oct. 11, 2015

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Wayne Cowley

 

 

Goaltender

 

 

EDM

 

 

1992-93

 

 

Dec. 11, 1993

curry-6516f0669b249.png

 

 

John Curry

 

 

Goaltender

 

 

PIT, MIN

 

 

2007-08

 

 

Nov. 26, 2008

darling-6516f06d7a93b.png

 

 

Scott Darling

 

 

Goaltender

 

 

CHI, CAR

 

 

2012-13

 

 

Oct. 26, 2014

daw-6516f0708fd42.png

 

 

Jeff Daw

 

 

Forward

 

 

COL

 

 

1996-97

 

 

Jan. 30, 2002

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Jean-Sébastien Dea

 

 

Forward

 

 

PIT, NJ, BUF, AZ

 

 

2014-15

 

 

Apr. 9, 2017

de-fazio-6516f068c23ec.png

 

 

Brandon DeFazio

 

 

Forward

 

 

VAN

 

 

2010-11

 

 

Nov. 9, 2014

de-smith-6516f06aa5511.png

 

 

Casey DeSmith

 

 

Goaltender

 

 

PIT, VAN

 

 

2015-16

 

 

Oct. 29, 2017

ellis-6516f06b7e3d2.png

 

 

Morgan Ellis

 

 

Defenseman

 

 

 

MTL

 

 

2014-15

 

 

Mar. 2, 2016

farnham-6516f06812cf2.png

 

 

Bobby Farnham

 

 

Forward

 

 

PIT, NJ, MTL

 

 

2012-13

 

 

Dec. 13, 2014

fata-6516f06f8ddf4.png

 

 

Drew Fata

 

 

Defenseman

 

 

NYI

 

 

2003-06

 

 

Feb. 4, 2007

ferguson,-c-6516f05d6e177.png

 

 

Craig Ferguson

 

 

Forward

 

 

MTL, CGY, FLA

 

 

1992-93

 

 

Dec. 3, 1993

ferguson,-s-6516f06045ffc.png

 

 

Scott Ferguson

 

 

Defenseman

 

 

EDM, ANA, MIN

 

 

1994-95

 

 

Mar. 4, 1998

fraser-6516f0754a7d3.png

 

 

Scott Fraser

 

 

Forward

 

 

MTL, EDM, NYR

 

 

1994-95

 

 

Nov. 28, 1995

gage-6516f0767574c.png

 

 

Joaquin Gage

 

 

Goaltender

 

 

EDM

 

 

1996-97

 

 

May 1, 1995

grant-6516f06b496c1.png

 

 

Alex Grant

 

 

Defenseman

 

 

ANA, AZ

 

 

2009-11

 

 

Nov. 30, 2013

halverson-67e403a297ac6.jpg

 

Brandon Halverson

 

 

Goaltender

 

NYR, TB

 

2020-21

 

Feb. 17, 2018

hodgson-6516f065ad118.png

 

Hayden Hodgson

 

Forward

 

PHI, OTT

 

2020-21

 

Mar. 24, 2022

jaffray-6516f06f1f87c.png

 

 

Jason Jaffray

 

 

Forward

 

 

VAN, CGY, WPG

 

 

2003-05

 

 

Dec. 12, 2007

jensen-6516f06470717.png

 

 

Joe Jensen

 

 

Forward

 

 

CAR

 

 

2006-08

 

 

Feb. 18, 2008

johnson-6516f070a93c8.png

 

 

Nick Johnson

 

 

Forward

 

 

PIT, MIN, PHX, BOS

 

 

2008-09

 

 

Jan. 21, 2010

koci-6516f06f1e4d5.png

 

 

David Koci

 

 

Defenseman

 

 

CHI, STL, TB, COL

 

 

2001-03

 

 

Mar. 10, 2007

konopka-6516f0719e7a9.png

 

 

Zenon Konopka

 

 

Forward

 

 

ANA, CBJ, TB, NYI, OTT, MIN, BUF

 

 

2002-03

 

 

Oct. 30, 2005

kuhnhackl-6516f0690d9d0.png

 

 

Tom Kuhnhackl

 

 

Forward

 

 

PIT, NYI

 

 

2012-14

 

 

Jan. 9, 2016

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Patrick Labrecque

 

 

Goaltender

 

 

MTL

 

 

1994-95

 

 

Oct. 7, 1995

laliberte-6516f06de5c0f.png

 

 

David Laliberte

 

 

Forward

 

 

PHI

 

 

2007-08

 

 

Oct. 31, 2009

lamothe-6516f07771b14.png

 

 

Marc Lamothe

 

 

Goaltender

 

 

CHI, DET

 

 

1994-95

 

 

Nov. 27, 1999

letestu-6516f06954b4b.png

 

 

Mark Letestu

 

 

Forward

 

 

PIT, CBJ, EDM, WPG

 

 

2007-08

 

 

Nov. 14, 2009

martini-6516f0618e6ae.png

 

 

Darcy Martini

 

 

Defenseman

 

 

EDM

 

 

1992-93

 

 

Jan. 13, 1994

mathieu-6516f073b4230.png

 

 

Marquis Mathieu

 

 

Forward

 

 

BOS

 

 

1993-94, 1997-98

 

 

Oct. 28, 1998

mc-lean-6516f06d54b48.png

 

 

Kurtis McLean

 

 

Forward

 

 

NYI

 

 

2005-07

 

 

Jan. 19, 2009

minard-6516f077dfe95.png

 

 

Mike Minard

 

 

Goaltender

 

 

EDM

 

 

1996-97

 

 

Apr. 8, 2000

ouellet-6516f0710df16.png

 

 

Michel Ouellet

 

 

Forward

 

 

PIT, TB, VAN

 

 

2002-03

 

 

Nov. 22, 2005

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Cam Paddock

 

 

Forward

 

 

STL

 

 

2004-06

 

 

Nov. 14, 2008

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Adam Payerl

 

 

Forward

 

 

PIT

 

 

2012-13

 

 

Apr. 6, 2014

prow-6516f0672de81.png

 

 

Ethan Prow

 

 

Defenseman

 

 

BUF

 

 

2016-18

 

 

Dec. 29, 2021

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Gage Quinney

 

 

Forward

 

 

VGK

 

 

2016-17

 

 

Feb. 21, 2020

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Marc Rodgers

 

 

Forward

 

 

DET

 

 

1992-93

 

 

Oct. 5, 1999

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Carter Rowney

 

 

Forward

 

 

PIT, ANA, DET

 

 

2013-15

 

 

Jan. 31, 2017

sbourin-6516f076d240e.png

 

 

Dany Sabourin

 

 

Goaltender

 

 

CGY, PIT, VAN

 

 

2004-05

 

 

Oct. 29, 2003

samuelsson-6516f06c6f986.png

 

 

Philip Samuelsson

 

 

Defenseman

 

 

PIT, AZ

 

 

2011-12

 

 

Dec. 16, 2013

sarault-6516f05f4565b.png

 

 

Yves Sarault

 

 

Forward

 

 

MTL, CGY, COL, OTT, ATL, NSH

 

 

1992-93

 

 

Mar. 25, 1995

sill-6516f06a8dea0.png

 

 

Zach Sill

 

 

Forward

 

 

PIT, TOR, WSH

 

 

2009-10

 

 

Nov. 16, 2013

street-6516f06a61ee7.png

 

 

Ben Street

 

 

Forward

 

 

CGY, COL, DET, ANA

 

 

2010-11

 

 

Feb. 9, 2013

taylor-6516f074eaa6e.png

 

 

Daniel Taylor

 

 

Goaltender

 

 

LA, CGY

 

 

2006-07

 

 

Mar. 29, 2008

thiessen-6516f07215c0b.png

 

 

Brad Thiessen

 

 

Goaltender

 

 

PIT

 

 

2009-10

 

 

Feb. 26, 2012

thomson-6516f05f91f90.png

 

 

Paul Thompson

 

 

Forward

 

 

NJ, FLA

 

 

2011-12

 

 

Jan. 8, 2016

uher-6516f05f3f3f3.png

 

 

Dominik Uher

 

 

Forward

 

 

PIT

 

 

2012-13

 

 

Dec. 23, 2014

verot-6516f07077698.png

 

 

Darcy Verot

 

 

Forward

 

 

WSH

 

 

1999-00

 

 

Jan. 1, 2004

virtue-6516f072047d2.png

 

 

Terry Virtue

 

 

Defenseman

 

 

BOS, NYR

 

 

1992-94, 2005-06

 

 

Jan. 16, 1999

visheau-6516f06030360.png

 

 

Mark Visheau

 

 

Defenseman

 

 

WPG, LA

 

 

1995-96

 

 

Nov. 14, 1998

vokoun-6516f073ef884.png

 

 

Tomas Vokoun

 

 

Goaltender

 

 

MTL, NSH, FLA, WSH, PIT

 

 

1995-96

 

 

Feb. 6, 1997

wallace-6516f06f6116c.png

 

 

Tim Wallace

 

 

Forward

 

 

PIT, NYI, TB, CAR

 

 

2006-07

 

 

Dec. 10, 2008

Non-Players

 Staff MemberRoleNHL TeamsYears in Wheeling
allegrino-6516f4b11dcd5.png

 

Scott Allegrino

 

Equipment Manager

 

OTT

 

1992-97

brace-v-6644e16e9f23d.jpg

 

Riley
Brace

 

Referee

 

NHL

 

 

2014-16
(as a player)

burke-6516f06e7e3e4.png

 

Brendan Burke

 

Radio Broadcaster

 

NYI

 

2006-08

cashman-6516f06ed52e4.png

 

Reid Cashman

 

Assistant Coach

 

WSH

 

2008-09 (as a player)

flemington-6516f06239133.png

 

Kyle Flemington

 

Linesman

 

NHL

 

2016-17 (as a player)

goucher-6516f074bee2f.png

 

Dave Goucher

 

Radio Broadcaster

 

BOS, VGK

 

1993-95

laviolette-6516f0744f62f.png

 

Peter Laviolette

 

Head Coach

 

NYI, CAR, PHI, NSH, WSH, NYR

 

1997-98

Stanley Cup Champions

PLAYERSEASONTEAM
David Aebischer2000-01Colorado Avalanche
Peter Laviolette (Head Coach)2005-06Carolina Hurricanes
Dave Goucher (Broadcaster)2010-11Boston Bruins
Tom McVie (Pro Scout)2010-11Boston Bruins
Daniel Carcillo2012-13Chicago Blackhawks
Daniel Carcillo2014-15Chicago Blackhawks
Scott Darling2014-15Chicago Blackhawks
Tom Kuhnhackl2015-16Pittsburgh Penguins
Josh Archibald2016-17Pittsburgh Penguins
Tom Kuhnhackl2016-17Pittsburgh Penguins
Carter Rowney2016-17Pittsburgh Penguins
Dave Goucher (Broadcaster)2022-23Vegas Golden Knights

Additionally, there have been 23 players who played in the NHL prior to their time in Wheeling.

They are: Adam Berkhoel, Daniel Berthiaume, Sebastien Bisaillon, Kimbi Daniels, Matt Elich, Brian Foster, Martin Houle, Chris Jensen, Francois Leroux, Mario Larocque, Mark Major, Peter Mannino, Grant McNeill, Michael McNiven, Matt O'Connor, Carl Sneep, Garret Sparks, John Tanner, Kris Vernarsky, Chris Wells, Shane Willis, Ron Wilson.