Wheeling Nailers | CollegeHockeyPlayers

Tagged: Wheeling Nailers

25Sep

Zack Torquato (15)

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4th year center Zack Torquato(15) re-signed for 2013/2014 with Wheeling Nailers for another chance to propel the ECHL club into the postseason after missing half of last season on the injured reserved list.

Originally a Detroit Red Wings‘ 6th round pick in the 2007 draft (#178 overall) he was never signed and became an unrestricted free agent but did play games in two seasons with minor league affiliate Grand Rapids Griffins.

He would later sign an AHL contract with Rockford IceHogs but spent most of his rookie season with their affiliate Toledo Walleye, where he put up some pretty good numbers scoring 11 goals and 33 assists in 54 games.

The 6′ 195 lbs. forward is no stranger to posting record marks, as he did with 62 assists in his over-age junior hockey season with Erie Otters.

He got off to a super-hot start with the Nailers posting 9 goals and 22 assists and a crazy 100 shots on net in 25 games and was loaned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins just before Christmas.

In 7 games already chipping away at the score sheet with a pair of goals and assists.

The 24-year old could net a contract in the higher league or if he’s sent back down, it’s not likely to be for a long time.

Original story: 1/5-14

He would stay up with the Penguins for another month skating 18 games with 2 goals, 5 assists and a +1 rating before being returned.

For 2013/2014 he finished up his 4th season in the ECHL setting new scoring highs (14-38-52) and putting in another point-per-game in 6 playoff match-ups.

Just prior to 2014/2015 starting he re-signed for another year with Wheeling Nailers.

Once again he netted a couple of recalls to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton but evened out a bit with only a goal and an assists in 12 games.

In the lower league though, he once again struck for career bests of 19 goals, 40 assists and 59 points, then equal his postseason totals from a year ago.

The 26-year old has decided to stay put for a 5th campaign with the Nailers.

If he strikes on the score sheet quickly he will probably find himself recalled but could possibly go to a different AHL team to try his luck.

14Sep

Adam Payerl(28) Cincinnati Cyclones

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Pittsburgh Penguins‘ undrafted rookie center Adam Payerl(28) had himself a pretty successful first year with AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins playing mostly a fourth line role of limited minutes, designed to consistently infuse energy into a game when it’s your call to hit the ice.

The 6’3″ 219 lbs. big frame forward successfully achieved that each and every time he jumped over those boards and managed to get even better with his first taste of postseason hockey as a pro.

In 44 games he scored 3 goals and 7 assists, then in 15 Calder Cup Playoff contests got another tally and a pair of helpers but mostly seemed to be that guy to turn the momentum of a game when it was necessary.

He was never a real prolific on the score sheet through 5 years of juniors, but in his last season with Belleville Bulls he did put up some decent numbers with career highs for goals, points and penalty minutes.

The 22-year old is signed through 2014/2015 on a three-year entry level deal that could heed a call-up to the show if they are in need of a big body to help create space for the parent club (and it’s looking like they could use that sort of player).

Original story: 6/8-13

In his sophomore season he once again found himself in and out of the farm club’s lineup playing 43 AHL contests but managed to score a career high 5 goals and 11 points with 5 fighting majors.

His hard-nosed play was enough to earn him a first NHL recall and in 2 games with the parent club he managed to skate an average of 14 shifts for 9 or so minutes of ice and had 4 shots on net, six hits, 2 penalty minutes and a -1 rating in two team wins.

That would be his only appearance in the show and he was an early training camp cut sending him back down to the minors for his contract year.

In 2014/2015 he doubled his fisticuffs total to 10 but played in less games and was absent from the roster in the playoffs for the first time.

He actually didn’t do half bad in the postseason with 3 goals, 2 assists in 28 games and an even plus/minus.

With no takers heading into his fourth season, the big 24-year old signed a one-year deal with Cincinnati Cyclones to continue his game in the ECHL, where he played only four games for Wheeling Nailers (1 goal, 1 fight) as a first year player.

If he can play with a take-no-prisoners type attitude, he easily could find his way back up the ladder with a recall.

18Aug

Scooter Vaughan(7) Chicago Wolves

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Undrafted 3rd year defenseman/right wing Scooter Vaughan(7) received his first call up to the AHL and is trying to make the most of it without looking back.

Signed to a second season with ECHL South Carolina Stingrays, after only 20 games into the current campaign he was called up on a pto with Bridgeport Sound Tigers.

Now 25 games into his tryout, he has 3 goals, 3 assists and has played in all types of on-ice situations, even being bumped up to a forward position.

The listed at 6′ (seems a bit generous) 195 lbs. blue liner was off to a fast start on the score sheet this season scoring a pair of goals and 6 assists.

He had his best showing in his sophomore season with 6 tallies and 14 helpers.

There appears to be little doubt that when he was picked up by the Stingrays after being released by Wheeling Nailers, where he played in his rookie year, a coach worked with him to shoot the puck more often and it’s improved his game tenfold.

The 24-year old will likely get an spc to finish out the regular season in the upper league.

Original story: 2/18-14

He never received a full-on deal for the current year, staying on a tryout option with the team even though he ended the season playing in 51 games scoring 9 goals and 7 assists with a -13 rating on a squad that mostly struggled to win.

Nearly the conclusion of the regular schedule though, his confident and reliable play earned him a contract with the Sound Tigers for 2014/2015.

He would attend New York Islanders‘ training camp on an invite but was released early and through his second stint in southern Connecticut played a career high 71 games with the exact same point and plus/minus results of the previous campaign.

One stat did however jump in his game, he more than doubled his penalty minutes to 102, up from 43, and went from 5 to 11 fighting majors.

With no contract going into his 5th pro season, the now 26-year old signs another AHL agreement with Chicago Wolves for 2015/2016.

03Jul

Reid McNeill (3)

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Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 6th round pick in the 2010 draft (#170 overall) defenseman Reid McNeill(3) plays an almost unassumingly solid stay-at-home style.

He’s in the final season of his three-year entry level deal, signed after skating a few campaigns of junior hockey in the OHL.

The towering 6’4″ 215 lbs. d-man has never put up much on the score sheet but is showing an increasing upward tick to his penalty minutes and fighting majors.

He was credited with throwing down the gloves 11 times in 55 AHL games last season.

All that time in the box has yet to sour his accountability on the ice either, as he’s currently holding a +12 rating.

The young 22-year old is definitely being looked as an up-and-comer working his way up from his rookie season start in the ECHL with Wheeling Nailers.

Now that he’s become a fixture on the blue line for minor league affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins it still may take a bit more seasoning until he finds a spot on the parent club’s roster.

Original story: 10/24-14

Following a career season with high marks of 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points, the big stay-at-home d-man re-signs for two more years to stay in the prospect system.

His shutdown style game could score the recently turned 23-year old a first NHL recall on a parent club that may be looking for some help in their own zone.

10Jun

Barry Goers(41) WBS Penguins

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Wheeling Nailers‘ 4th year undrafted mini-defenseman Barry Goers(41) was recalled by affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on seven occasions, putting in an accountable effort when called upon.

The 5’9″ 175 lbs. (minimum weight any player is 9/10 times given) was finally given an AHL contract within the last month of the regular season and with one more appearance in the postseason will outplay his previous high from his rookie year with Las Vegas Wranglers.

Almost ironically he’s scored as many points in the current Calder Cup Playoffs, a pair of assists, as he did in the 2010 Kelly Cup Playoffs.

The 27-year old veteran blue liner could easily sign another ECHL contract for 2014/2015 and follow a similar path of call-ups but he may also grab a roster spot out of training camp or earlier in the off-season.

He’s easily earned it.

Original story: 6/1-14

Not wanting to wait until someone else could sign him Wilkes Barre/Scranton stepped back in offering a one-year contract.

Playing in his first full AHL season he recorded modest career highs with 2 goals, 7 assists and 9 points in 51 games, then added another 2 helpers in 8 Calder Cup Playoff contests.

The soon-to-be 29-year old was definitely consistent enough to score the extension with the Penguins.

16Mar

Denver Manderson(23) Orlando Solar Bears

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Undrafted 5th year left wing Denver Manderson(23) signed a one-year two-way deal with Toronto Marlies but has spent a majority of the season reassigned to their ECHL affiliate Orlando Solar Bears, where he leads the team in goals (18) and scoring (49).

His goal total ties his career high mark and 31 assists and point totals are new bests.

The not exactly huge 5’10” 180 lbs. forward has only appeared in 6 AHL games this season and may see one more recall but it’s definitely way down from the 36 games he skated in 2013/2014, while under contract with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

He managed a pair of goals and 9 assists in what would qualify as his rookie campaign in the league.

He also played 27 games with Wheeling Nailers that season scoring 11 goals and 18 assists with a +10 rating and added another 2 tallies and 4 helpers in 6 playoff contests.

Missing the entire 2012/2013 except for one game due to injury, he also played the entire 2011/2012 with the team notching 40 points (18-22) through 51 games.

In maybe a bit of a strange move, he actually started his pro career in Finland’s second tier Mestis with HeKi putting up some respectable marks before the Ontario native turned his attention closer to home.

He also came up through juniors a bit unlikely as he spent most of his time in the lower BCHL putting up outstanding marks (over 2 points per game in his final run as team captain) with Penticton Vees.

It seems likely that he’ll earn himself another contract with an NHL farm club but will have to continue to work hard to find a more permanent spot on the roster.

18Dec

Paul Bissonnette(15) Manchester Monarchs

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10th year veteran left wing Paul Bissonnette(15) for the first time in five years found himself on the outside as an unrestricted free agent after five seasons under contract with Arizona Coyotes.

Definitely a character guy out there for a team, he scored himself an invite to tryout with St. Louis Blues‘ training camp. He was released as the season was about to begin.

He was first rumored to sign with Cardiff Devils but then pulled the switch and inked a pto to join the Coyotes‘ farm club Portland Pirates.

The 6’3″ 220 lbs. forward is well known for putting his nose in the middle of trouble but in recent years has seemed to shy away from it mostly averaging only 50 minutes a season in the box and has fought only occasionally in the last three years.

Maybe his little goal scorer spree in the EIHL (6 goals, 11 assists in 15 games), while the NHL was on lockout, made him think of his game differently. He has 202 games in the big league to his credit and almost surprisingly is the proud owner of a +7 rating.

He was released from his tryout with Portland and the next day Manchester Monarchs chose to sign him.

He’s used very sparingly on a fourth line and seems mostly to be there to give the younger players a guy with some toughness and leadership to feed off.

The 29-year old was originally a Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 4th round pick in the 2003 draft (#121 overall) and played in their system for four years.

14Dec

Bobby Farnham (24)

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It was a dream come true for Pittsburgh Penguins‘ 3rd year undrafted pugulist right wing Bobby Farnham(24) to score a recall and play in his first NHL game.

He skated 9 even strength shifts for a minimal 5:31 ice time, had one hit and mixed it up in the opening frame for his first big league fighting major.

The not-so-big 5’10” 188 lbs. already has 7 AHL bouts this season and 30 in his career.

A former Brown University forward signed his first one-year deal with Wheeling Nailers.

He lasted all of 9 ECHL games (3 goals, 1 assist), including four 5-minute stays in the penalty box before being called-up to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where he would be offered an spc one month in to his visit and basically never left.

That is until the parent club took notice and signed him to a one-year deal for his sophomore campaign and although he played the full season with the farm team it was good enough to get him re-upped for another.

And now he’s in the show and although it may have a time limit now, if he continues to demonstrate he can contribute he’d be a low cap hit for a team that may be looking for someone that plays his style.

27Oct

Scott Darling(33) Chicago Blackhawks

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Originally an Arizona Coyotes‘ 6th round pick in the 2007 draft (#153 overall) 5th year goaltender Scott Darling(33) took an unprecedented long journey to his first NHL game with Chicago Blackhawks, getting the 2-1 victory in the process.

The extra large 6’6″ 238 lbs. net minder was never signed after his selection from US junior hockey.

He advanced to play a couple of campaigns for University Of Maine Black Bears putting up decent stats but still found no takers.

Deciding to turn pro he signed his first contract with the now defunct Louisiana IceGators of the SPHL and continued in the league inking for his sophomore year with Mississippi Riverkings.

He received a couple of call-ups but didn’t fare too well, although he would get a one-year deal with Wheeling Nailers for the next season.

After a solid, short run in the ECHL, Milwaukee Admirals took a chance on the backstop for 2013/2014, where he put up outstanding numbers going 13-6 in 26 AHL games with a 2.00 GAA and .933 SV%.

The effort earned him his first NHL deal with the Blackhawks.

Coming off a strong training camp, he was reassigned to affiliate Rockford IceHogs.

In 2 contests he won both and 1.44 GAA and .948 SV%.

The close to Chicago native from Lemont, IL received a well-deserved nod to start between the pipes upon his first recall.

At just 25-years old, he has gone all the way from single A to the show.

29Mar

Carter Rowney(20) WBS Penguins

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Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins‘ undrafted rookie right wing Carter Rowney(20) signed a two-way minor league contract.

He won three straight NCAA/WCHA Championships in his first years at University Of North Dakota, which followed 6 years of bantams, midgets and junior hockey with hometown team Grand Prairie Storm through his teens.

The 6’2″ 205 lbs. power-sized forward has mostly managed to connect with the score sheet, especially in his latter years at each level.

Invited on a try-out to attend Pittsburgh Penguins‘ training camp, he was released and reported to the Baby Pens.

He was reassigned to begin his first season with affiliate Wheeling Nailers. and showing he can light the lamp in the lower league on a regular basis.

In 39 ECHL games he has 13 goals and 31 assists with a monster +23 rating.

The 24-year old has been recalled on three occasions but is still looking to prove his mettle, as he has only one marker and two assists in 17 AHL games.

He also has another goal in his short post-school stint signed to an ato with Abbotsford Heat.

If he is unable to lift his game as the schedule pushes towards playoffs, he may sign a double-A deal for 2014/2015 and look to make impressions on pto’s or take his game to another shore.

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