Wheeling Nailers for sale
 

:cry:

Wheeling Nailers to be sold? Moving?
 

Shawn Rine, the sports editor at the Wheeling newspaper, the Intelligencer, is reporting that the Nailers (Penguins affiliate) will be sold, will move, or will fold unless they find a local buyer.

https://twitter.com/#!/Shawn_Rine

Hm - might this be a bargain-basement way for Fort Wayne to join the ECHL, by buying the Wheeling franchise?

Sad news. That is their only identity as a city other than the jamboree, WWVA, and the casino.

That sucks. Guess I will skip Erie and go to Wheeling instead when I make my Johnstown trip.

That's a shame. Hope a local buyer turns up.

It is a shame for the hockey fans in Wheeling. However, it has been rumored for a while now so it is not a big surprise.

It should be a pleasure, the Crooks bros are awful.

Terry Pegula should buy it and move it to Elmira. Hot word on the street is that he's trying like crazy to buy the Jackals and First Arena and word was he was going to get the facility and buy the Gladiators(Buffalo's cuirrent ECHL Affiliate) but Afr hasn't made his mortgage payments in years and the bank doesn't want to own an empty arena. So right now we don't know. But our Assistant GM just bought the local baseball team and word is Doc gave Robbie an ultimatum cause the rink isn't making money so he might be joining the assistant former GM with the baseball team.

Afr has an arena in Port Huron(half exactly):

http://www.detroiturbex.com/content/...pha/index.html

This is very true. I just don't see a buyer coming locally. Nobody in that city has money. Similiar city to ours really.

Actually, somebody on the Penguins board suggested that Mario and Burkle should buy the Nailers. I do not think that it would be a good idea. (The Devils situation did not work out too well.) On the other hand, I do find a perverse humor in it. Shawn Rines last season wrote an article saying that the Nailers needed to find a new affiliate than the Penguins since they did not care about Wheeling. If Pittsburgh were to purchase the Nailers, it would be interesting to see how he would react to that. Of course, there is also the possibility of purchasing the Nailers only to move them to Johnstown. (Just my off the wall idea. No credible sources.)

Would make some sense being an hour away but I bet my mortgage they won't do it.

I agree. The only thing that would indicate that they might do it is that Lemieux and Burkle were interested in buying the Pirates baseball team. If they were willing to buy a minor league baseball team, why not another minor league hockey team in the area? At least this opens up the War Memorial for the Federal Hockey League.

Might as well post the official story:

http://news-register.net/page/conten...5MiSY.facebook

This is going to seem callous, but assuming that Wheeling does close its doors, the Penguins will be looking for an ECHL affiliate. Which teams out there would make the most sense? Toledo, Cincinnati, and Reading come to my mind immediately. Any other suggestions.

Elmira. lol.

They really don't need an E team. It's not a requirement. Not every franchise has one for an affiliate.

Elmira would work for me, but I do not know how you guys would feel about all the injury call ups. We have worked with Bingham before. I think that he would work well with the Penguins.

I know that it is not a necessity, but I think that the Penguins will have a few guys who will need a home not in the AHL. Bortuzzo and Strait will either be in the NHl or in another organization. Despres will most likely be back in WBS. Alex Grant, Carl Sneep, and Philip Samuelsson will be there as well. I would imagine that there will be a couple of free agents signed to 2-way contracts. Mormina seems to be the veteran presence. So any younger signings will need a home. Rogalski and McNeil will need signed or let go this offseason.

You have. Back in the early 2000's. We are only 2 hours from WBS. Closer than Wheeling is I believe....

Works for me. So far this season, Killeen is the only Penguins' prospect in Wheeling. He was only called up a few games this season while Munroe was injured. Unlike Rines says, the Penguins only do call ups for injuries if necessary, not to screw the franchise. :laugh: Besides, the closer to WBS the better imo. Although I can see wanting to be closer to Pittsburgh, but I think that the Jackals would work for me.

Why PIT? Nobody goes from Wheeling to PIT in a single callup

At the beginning of last season, the Penguins sent Eric Tangradi to Wheeling like a day before the start of the season in order to save money on his cap hit. He had to physically be in the city for the hit to not count (as I had the rule explained to me). It is a little game that teams play to try and save every penny against the cap that they can. That is the only reason why I could see wanting some place closer to Pittsburgh. I think that the Ducks did the same thing with Bobby Ryan and Bakersfield. However, that might have been the season that the Ducks did not have an AHL affiliate.

A buddy of mine in Wheeling is telling me that Rine already told him that they have a buyer and he is not local and the team is relocating.

Hearing they are going to Savannah, GA

I heard this as well. Wow, the Brooks Brothers did not waste any time. How soon can we sign with Elmira?

When somebody has the bills to pay the mortgage payments Mostafa Afr hasn't made in years. Thats why the alleged Pegula thing has calmed down. Bank doesn't want to get stuck with an empty arena. His "arena" in Poirt Huron is basically gone. His only asset left is our arena...he owns it. The bank could think the check could bounce perhaps.

wouldn't be too sure Elmira will be there, either, remember, Solution, Port Huron hangs over an Afr franchise, whether it be McMorran or the new proposed arena for them if indeed First Arena was sold as it's been rumored, whether that's been confirmed or not....