Nailers Claim Rights To 3 Columbia Inferno Players

The Wheeling Nailers have cashed in on a few of their future considerations from trades they made earlier in the season as they have acquired the rights to defensemen Tyson Marsh and Julien Brouillette and forward Steve McJannet from the Columbia Inferno.

Marsh, a 23-year-old 6'1" 215lb defensemen is strong on the puck and uses his strength to his advantage. He appeared in 61 games for the Inferno with 3 goals and 14 assists for 17 points and 126 penalty minutes in 2007-08. Marsh is currently playing in the AHL with the Rockford Icehogs where in the regular season he played 11 games racking up 4 points (2G,2A). Marsh also has 2 points in the playoffs with the Icehogs both being assist. Marsh has 54 games of AHL experience between St. Johns, Toronto and Rockford.

Brouillette, a 20-year-old, 5'11" 185lb defensemen, had 17 points in 67 games in his rookie season with the Inferno. Brouillette had 4 points in the Kelly Cup playoffs with Columbia, all 4 were assist.

McJannett, a 26-year-old winger, had 36 points for the Inferno (16G,20A) as well as 105 penalty minutes in 54 games for the Inferno this past season. McJannett was second on the Inferno in points with 12 (1G,11A) during the 2008 Kelly Cup playoffs.

Du You Wanna Trade? Sure, What the Falk?

Correction:
Kevin Du's suspension has been lifted and his rights have NOT been traded away to the Johnstown Chiefs. He was actually suspended again thus retaining his rights.
There was a typo in the transactions yesterday on ECHL.com that was later fixed and brought to my attention.

Du left Wheeling to play overseas in China and then went on to play for the Hannover Indians of the GerObL.

A trade was made with Johnstown yesterday for future considerations, in return Wheeling gets right handed forward Mike Falk and shortly after the trade Falk has been suspended by the Nailers.

Seriously, who wants to be traded to a last place team? We may have received more for the rights to Du if we had asked for a bag of Tostitos.


They're great with salsa or Wendy's chili... or any chili for that matter

Anyway, Falk has played for 3 teams this season (probably another reason he doesn't seem to want to come to Wheeling). Mississippi Sea Wolves, Charlotte Checkers and the Johnstown Chiefs. In 13 games for Mississippi, Falk had 4 points (1G, 3A). Falk had one point (an assist) in 4 games for Charlotte and in his 10 games for Johnstown, Falk registered 5 points (3G, 2A).

It'd be nice if he actually showed up, but I won't hold my breath.

In other news, the Wheeling Nailers are sending another person to the ECHL All Star game in Stockton, CA.

Athletic Trainer Jerry Duncan... or as he is politely referred to in Trenton...

Twinkie.



Let it be known that Twinkie the Kid is in no way related to Sidney Crosby.

It just goes to show you that the ECHL must even feel sorry for us. Not one of our current players made the team... but an all-star radio broadcaster (who is actually really good) and an athletic trainer going to Stockton help to ease the pain I guess... but so would Jello shots.

Moves Made

Forwards David Laliberte and Vadim Slivchenko have been assigned to the Philadelphia Phantoms by the Philadelphia Flyers.

Laliberte has 2 points in 5 games with the Phantoms this season (1G,1A) while Slivchenko, the native of Kharkov, Ukraine, gets his first chance to show the AHL that the Ukraine is NOT WEAK in his 20'th professional season.


These transactions leaves Wheeling with only 8 healthy forwards for this weekend. Someone, probably Snavely, will once again skating up on the 3rd line.

Greg Puhalski Named Coach of Nailers

Greg Puhalski will be announced at a press conference as the next
coach of the Wheeling Nailers while Glenn Patrick will remain as
a scout for the organization.

Last season Puhalski went 31-38-0-7 and was named Coach of the Year
with the Chicago of the UHL for the second time.

The other came with the Fort Wayne Komets during the 2002/2003 season
in which Fort Wayne went 44-21-0-11 and won the Colonial Cup in the UHL.

Puhalski is the all-time United Hockey League leader in career victories and
brings over ten years of coaching experience to Wheeling.

Prior to Puhalski’s time at Fort Wayne, he spent four seasons as Head Coach for the East Coast Hockey team the Toledo Storm and posted a .638 winning percentage and 1995-1996 divisional title. Immediately following, Puhalski joined the Port Huron Border Cats of the UHL and posted back to back winning seasons until joining the Komets in 2000.

However Coach Puhalski was once petitioned to be fired from the UHL Komets,
mainly because of lack of passion from behind the bench.


Sound familiar?

To learn another lesson from R.L. Stine.

Be careful what you wish for.

Puhalski spent his professional playing days with the now defunct, Toledo Storm.