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A Town as Tough as Nails: Wheeling Nailers To Kick Off 30th Season of Professional Hockey in the Friendly City

WHEELING -- Thirty years fly by so fast.

On March 31, 1992, the Winston-Salem Thunderbirds announced the relocation of the team to Wheeling. Now, "Nail City" is celebrating its 30th year of ECHL hockey and the Wheeling Nailers will start that party Saturday night, as they take the ice at WesBanco Arena for their 2021-22 home opener.

Former player, current head coach and fan favorite Derek Army couldn't be more excited to be a part of the 30th season.

"It's unbelievable," he said. "I have a special connection with this place. I came out for the team in 2014 and felt right at home. It's special to be a Nailer. If you ask around 'what ECHL team do you know?' Everyone is going to say the Nailers."

Before changing their name to the Nailers in the summer of 1996, the Thunderbirds left their mark in the city's history books.

In their inaugural season in Wheeling, the Thunderbirds marched right into the playoffs with a 40-16-8 record and even advanced to the Riley Cup before falling to Toledo in six games.

Nobody can recall that season quite like head coach Doug Sauter, who coached the team from 1992-95. He currently resides in Oklahoma and was named to the Nailers' All-Time Team.

"I had a great three years there," Sauter said. "The city welcomed us with open arms and we were the hottest ticket in town. The team's character suited the city and we were never pushed around. We made it a family atmosphere and had a great championship run."

Sauter couldn't help but be reminded of some of his favorite moments when reminiscing about the past.

"There were some funny things that happened that year," Sauter said. "I remember Dan Wheeler, our organist, played Three Blind Mice because of the referees. He was the first organist in organized hockey to be thrown out of a game."

Although the march to the finals and the good times stand out, it was the people that Sauter remembers the most.

"The great friendships I made there are lifelong," Sauter said. "The whole valley is a pretty special place. Oglebay Park — I've never seen so many Christmas lights. I'm getting sentimental here. We touched a lot of people's lives and they touched ours.

"It was a wonderful foundation we built to have hockey in the Ohio Valley but we should be proud of the community and the people that kept it alive."

Sauter also praised WesBanco Arena Executive Director Denny Magruder for his outstanding efforts throughout the years to make hockey in Wheeling possible.

Another part of the inaugural team was John Davis, who was the mascot and has now climbed the ladder to the team's Chief Operating Officer after spending time in the front offices of the Cincinnati Reds, Columbus Blue Jackets and Cleveland Browns.

"It's been a magic carpet ride," Davis said. "It's so crazy. I'm here in the epicenter and we're looking back on 30 years of the organization. I've realized that first year, as a 16-year-old kid, is the closest I've come to winning it all. I've spent time in the NFL, NHL, MLB and minor league baseball, so that's how special it is."

The memories are still impossible to forget for Davis, as well.

"The memory embedded in my head is me as a mascot roller skating in the Christmas parade," Davis said. "The crowd was so happy the team was there and gave us a huge ovation. I couldn't shake enough hands. More people wanted high fives than I could give."

Wheeling made such a positive impact on Brock Woods, who played in Wheeling from 1993-96, that he decided that he just didn't want to leave.

"My playing time here was quite significant," Woods said. "I ended up staying here and marrying a local girl and having three children.

"Thirty years in one city, that certainly says a lot about the city of Wheeling, the ownership and the management. We've stayed consistent in our support of the hockey team. Thirty years for a minor league team in the same city — people really stood behind this team. It's one of the top teams to develop players into the NHL and it has a history of moving broadcasters and coaches on, as well."

The Nailers have sent 59 players to the NHL, along with two coaches, two radio broadcasters, one equipment manager and one linesman. Eleven of them have won Stanley Cups, including head coach Peter Laviolette in 2005-06 with the Carolina Hurricanes. Laviolette coached the Nailers from 1997-98 and has always been a mentor for Army.

"I've always looked up to Peter Laviolette as a coach," Army said. "Plus, playing with guys like (Carter) Rowney, (Josh) Archibald, (Tom) Kuhnhackl, Morgan Ellis, Casey DeSmith and I didn't play with him in Wheeling but I played with Biz (Paul Bissonnette) in Ontario and he is always making Wheeling proud."

Even for those ex-players who have moved on to other endeavors, a return trip to Wheeling is always a circled date on the calendar.

Just ask former Nailer and current coach of ECHL's Greenville Swamp Rabbits Andrew Lord.

"There have been 30 years of amazing history there," Lord, who played in Wheeling from 2008-11, said. "The Nailers really allowed me to start my pro career. It's a great community and a great fan base.

"Just last year we went back to play a two-game set there and just to roll through town and see some familiar faces was great. The arena has been upgraded, too, and is looking great."

Wheeling made its second trip to the finals in 2016 when it lost in six games to the Allen Americans. Army was a key leader on the team that year and finished with 23 points, helping him win over the hearts of the Wheeling faithful to this day.

"It's exciting now for me to come back with my family," Army said. "It's kind of come full circle for me. As a player I took the role to mentor guys and now I have this position as coach. It's special to be a part of 30 years for this fantastic organization and community."

Just last year Wheeling pocketed its 1,000th win in franchise history and entering the 2021-22 campaign, held the record for most wins by any team in ECHL history with 1,122 victories.

"There is a lot of culture here," Nailers' captain Dylan MacPherson said. "Everybody loves the Wheeling Nailers and it's just a huge honor to be a part of the team for the 30th Anniversary. It's been a good experience."