The Wheeling Nailers, proud ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, have announced their captains for the 2022-23 season. Wheeling will have four players wearing letters to start the year – Cam Hausinger, Adam Smith, Sean Josling, and Josh Maniscalco. All four players will be alternate captains, with Hausinger and Smith wearing the “A” in all of the games, while Josling will wear the “A” at home and Maniscalco will wear the “A” on the road.
Hausinger is playing in his second season with the Nailers, after finishing tied for second on the team in rookie scoring last year with 43 points, and leading the squad with nine goals during the Kelly Cup Playoffs. This is Cam’s first time wearing a letter professionally, and his third time recently, as he was an alternate captain twice in juniors – once with the Kootenay Ice and once with the Red Deer Rebels. The 23-year old native of Anchorage, Alaska is under ECHL contract with Wheeling, but attended training camps with Nashville and Milwaukee.
Smith is the longest tenured member of the Nailers, as he has played 123 career games with Wheeling, since he arrived in the Friendly City in 2020. Adam scored the team’s first goal of the 2022-23 campaign, and is looking to build off of a career year which saw him amass 23 points and finish with a team-leading +17 rating. The 25-year old native of Sharon, Ontario will be wearing a letter for the second consecutive season.
Josling is playing in his third season with the Nailers, after posting nearly a point-per-game last season, as he finished with 33 points in 36 ECHL contests. While he was originally signed by Wheeling during the offseason, Sean received an AHL contract earlier in the week from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The 23-year old native of Toronto, Ontario is wearing a letter for the first time as a pro. He previously served as an alternate captain in juniors with the Sarnia Sting.
Maniscalco is playing in his second season with the Nailers and third in the organization, as he played in eight games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in 2020-21, before finishing first among ECHL rookie defensemen with 53 points a year ago. Josh is one of two players on the Wheeling roster under NHL contract with Pittsburgh. The 23-year old native of Perkiomenville, Pennsylvania last served as a captain, when he wore the “C” in juniors for the Dubuque Fighting Saints.
The Nailers will continue their season-opening four-game homestand with two more home contests this week during Halloween Weekend. Friday night is the first Frosty Friday of the season, featuring $2 beer specials, as Wheeling hosts the Cincinnati Cyclones at 7:10. Then, Sunday is a Halloween celebration with costumes, candy and more, plus a post game skate with even-numbered players, as the Nailers face the Iowa Heartlanders at 4:10. Season memberships, Big 6 ticket plans, and single game tickets are available for the 2022-23 season by visiting wheelingnailers.com or calling (304) 234-GOAL. 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.
