photo by: Kim North

Wheeling Nailers goaltender Jaxon Castor deflects a shot during the first day of training camp on Monday inside WesBanco Arena. Castor is one of three goaltenders attending camp for the 2025-26 season.

WHEELING – The 34th season of ECHL Hockey got under way Monday inside WesBanco Arena as Wheeling Nailers first-year head coach Ryan Papaioannou welcomed 26 players to training camp.

Papaioannou has compiled a roster of 16 forwards, seven defensemen, and three goaltenders. There are two NHL contracted players, six AHL contracted players, 16 ECHL contracted players and two players attending training camp on professional tryouts.

“We are going to be a team that predicates itself on offense, but we’ll have respect to play defensively. I think it will be an exciting team to watch,” Papaioannou said Monday while his team went through some Skills work under the watchful eye of Andrew Fritsch, Skills Consultant with the Pittsburgh Penguins; Roving Minor League Coach Evan McFeeters and goaltending coach Karel Popper.

“We want to be able to create and possess pucks. I also think there will be a competitive element to us, as well. We will be physical and have team toughness, but the main thing with us is we want to be an exciting offensive team,” added.

After being named head coach of the Nailers in mid-August, Papaioannou has spent most of his time in training camps with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Baby Pens watching some of the same players.

“I’m basically looking for confirmation of things we already know,” he said. “A couple of the guys have played for me in junior and I’ve gotten to know a few of the others from being at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton camp. This time will be more of a sorting to where everyone is.”

He said his wife, Jordana, and their two sons – 10-year old Ambrose and 5-year old Calix – have adjusted to their new home better than he has.

“I haven’t been here much. It would have been nice to be here but with school and everything like that, I think my wife and the kids have been enjoying themselves,” he added. “It’s a great area and there’s a lot to see and do so far.”

The training camps roster consists of the following players:

Defensemen are Daniel Laatsch, Aidan Sutter, Bogdans Hodass, Tommy Budnick, Trevor LeDonne, Brent Johnson and Emil Pieniniemi. Sutter is the lone returnee from last season, however, Laatsch and Emil Pieniniemi are both under contract with the Penguins.

Forwards include Mike Posma, Logan Pietila, Ryan Mahshie, Cole Tymkin, Tyler Paquette, Randy Hernandez, Craig Armstrong, Matthew Quercia, Jack Works, Ricky Boysen, Zach Urdahl, Max Graham, Jordan Kaplan, Tyler Burnie, Zach Gallant and Brayden Edwards. Pietila, Tymkin, Quercia, Works and Gallant played for the Nailers in 2024-25.

Goaltenders feature Jake Smith, Logan Neaton and Jaxon Castor. Castor has seen time with the Nailers in each of the last two seasons.

Papaioannou said the training camp roster resulted from a mixture of things.

“We have some guys that were sent here by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and there are some guys that were signed by Wheeling prior to me taking the job,” he said. “Now it’s just a matter of sorting through the players and seeing who fits into our system.”

As for the goaltenders, Papaioannou likes the three that are here, but hinted that others are coming.

“I think there is going to be some good competition here in camp,” Papaioannou stressed. “We’ve got three here in camp now, but we’re hopeful to have a fourth here by the end of the week. There could also be a fifth and sixth, so that makes for good competition.”

The Nailers will be on the ice Tuesday and Wednesday for more Skills work and practice sessions. The skills work begins at 10 a.m., with practices set for 1:45 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday. They will start at 11 a.m. on Thursday and Friday before playing the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in an exhibition contest Saturday in the Diamond Anniversary Pro Classic in Johnstown, Pa., at 1st SUMMIT ARENA at Cambria County War Memorial.