The Wheeling Nailers, proud ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, have announced their 2023 training camp schedule and roster.
The Nailers will open their 2023 training camp on Tuesday, October 10th at 10:00 a.m. The practice will be separated into two groups, with one skating from 10:00-11:15, then the other from 11:40-1:00. Practices on Wednesday, October 11th and Thursday, October 12th will also be split into two groups, but with an added twist – both days will feature a scrimmage from 11:00-11:45. Friday, October 13th will be a quick morning, with the groups taking morning skates from 10:00-10:30 and 10:30-11:00. That night will feature an intrasquad scrimmage, which starts at 7:10. After a light day on Saturday, the first week will conclude with a preseason game against the Cincinnati Cyclones on Sunday, October 15th at 2:10. All practices are open to the public, and fans must stay in the seating bowl, as ice level access is not permitted. The intrasquad scrimmage and preseason game are both free to attend with open seating.
Head Coach Derek Army and Assistant Coach Mitch Giguere have compiled a roster of 12 forwards, seven defensemen, and two goaltenders for a total of 21 players to begin training camp.
Starting in the goal crease, the Nailers begin training camp with two netminders. David Tendeck is entering his fourth pro season, after spending his first three years in the Arizona Coyotes organization. Tendeck went 12-12-5 with the Atlanta Gladiators last season, and also earned a victory for the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners. Oskar Autio made his first pro start in last year’s season finale, as he made 19 saves on 22 shots for the Nailers in Iowa. Autio played collegiately at Penn State and the University of Vermont.
On the blueline, David Drake returns to anchor the defense, after being one of three Wheeling players to play in all 72 games a year ago. Drake is the lone veteran on this year’s squad, as he has played in 262 professional games. Louie Roehl and Davis Bunz return for their second pro seasons, and the two had nearly identical numbers in their rookie campaigns. Roehl finished with 24 points in 60 games, while Bunz recorded 23 points in 58 games. Sebastian Dirven is the final returning member of the defense, as he began his pro career with three points in four contests during the spring.
There are three newcomers to the defense. Quinn Wichers was acquired by the Nailers in a trade this summer, and he is entering his third pro season. Wichers spent the majority of his first two years playing a shutdown role for the Rapid City Rush, while mixing in AHL stints with Tucson and San Diego. Jeff Solow returns to North America, after playing 18 games with the EIHL’s Glasgow Clan last season. Solow has played for Iowa and Worcester in the ECHL. Avery Winslow is set to make his pro debut, after concluding his junior career with the OHL’s North Bay Battalion. Winslow is coming off of a deep playoff run, as the Battalion finished with the second best record in the OHL and reached the conference final round.
Up front, leading scorer Cédric Desruisseaux returns, after lighting the lamp 30 times, while adding 29 assists, and playing in all 72 games a year ago. Félix Paré is back for his third season in a Wheeling uniform, as he raised his point total last year, despite playing in 14 fewer games due to injury. Speaking of injuries, Matthew Quercia and Shaw Boomhower are looking forward to putting those behind them and finding their magic from the 2021-22 season. Quercia scored the infamous overtime goal in game seven to defeat Fort Wayne, while Boomhower led the team with 127 penalty minutes and chipped into the offense with 13 points. Cam Hausinger begins his third season in Wheeling, after recording 62 points in 87 regular season games, in addition to nine goals in ten playoff contests. Bobby Hampton is also entering his third campaign with the Nailers, as he has 32 points in 93 games over his first two seasons with the club. Wheeling, West Virginia native Peter Laviolette III is back for year number two with his hometown team, as he put up 11 points and 96 penalty minutes.
Four players who joined the Nailers at the end of last season have returned for what will officially be their rookie seasons, after getting an initial taste of the pro game. Jarrett Lee wasted little time in making a name for himself, as he notched three points in his pro debut. He finished with eight points in 13 matches. Tanner Laderoute won an NCAA National Championship at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, and is looking to bring that winning formula to Wheeling, where he registered seven points in his first 11 pro contests. David Jankowski found the net often in the spring, as he racked up three goals and six points in seven games with the Nailers. Matt Koopman also put his name onto the scoresheet with great frequency, as he snagged seven points in his first 14 games. Additionally, Dominiks Marcinkevics will be making his Wheeling and ECHL debut, but already has a year of pro hockey under his belt, as he totaled 32 points in 53 games last season with the SPHL’s Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs.
2023 Wheeling Nailers Training Camp Roster
#4 D Quinn Wichers
#5 D David Drake
#6 D Sebastian Dirven
#7 D Davis Bunz
#8 D Avery Winslow
#9 F Tanner Laderoute
#10 F David Jankowski
#11 F Peter Laviolette III
#12 F Jarrett Lee
#13 F Matthew Quercia
#15 F Bobby Hampton
#16 F Cam Hausinger
#17 D Dominiks Marcinkevics
#18 F Shaw Boomhower
#19 F Félix Paré
#21 F Cédric Desruisseaux
#22 D Jeff Solow
#28 D Louie Roehl
#31 G Oskar Autio
#35 G David Tendeck
#36 F Matt Koopman
2023 Wheeling Nailers Training Camp Schedule
Tue. Oct. 10- Practice at WesBanco Arena, 10:00 a.m.
Wed. Oct. 11- Practice at WesBanco Arena, 10:00 a.m.
Scrimmage, 11:00 a.m.
Thu. Oct. 12- Practice at WesBanco Arena, 10:00 a.m.
Scrimmage, 11:00 a.m.
Fri. Oct. 13- Morning Skate at WesBanco Arena, 10:00 a.m.
Intrasquad Scrimmage, 7:10 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 14- TBD
Sun. Oct. 15- Preseason Game vs. Cincinnati, 2:10 p.m.
