There’s just this feeling.
Even though the Nailers were eliminated last night from the Kelly Cup Playoffs, it doesn’t feel as if it’s “over” for the Nailers. Not with Derek Army as the head coach anyway.
It just feels as if there’s something next. Something we should expect. Another step or stage in the development of the organization. Even though the Nailers, who are the equivalent to a Double-A franchise in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, are perpetually the victim of player call-ups at exactly the wrong time in our season, something in the gut lets a Nailers fan believe Army is far from done.
Wheeling’s professional hockey franchise has been here in the Friendly City for more than three decades, and each year – time and again – the season would end and that was that. Fans knew they would have to wait for six months for the next new roster to converge on training camp at Wesbanco Arena, they’d have to learn all the new names and their numbers.
Oh, well.
Pretty often, a new coach would be introduced, too, and the schedule would be heavy on weekends so maybe, just maybe, we’d plan to attend a few games.
Like always.
It’s different now, though, and that’s thanks to Army and his “Nailer Way.” With him behind the bench, there’s only one way to play the game in Wheeling, and if you don’t want to adopt a “never stop” mentality, don’t plan to play inside Wesbanco Arena. Not for Army anyway.
Thankfully, Army’s coaching contract with Wheeling extends through the 2025-26 season, but just as he chased his NHL dream as a player, the 35-year-old has goals of someday going to the show wearing a tie instead of mouthguard and a helmet.
He is that good, and it appears to be his destiny. That’s why we should be thankful he’s made the “Nailer Way” our way, and why we should pray he does return to continue his quest to bring a Kelly Cup back to the town that embraced him as a rookie in 2014 before he moves on to live his dream come true.
