Nailers Hire 2-Time USA Olympian as Assistant Coach
Published on September 22, 2011 under ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release
The Wheeling Nailers, proud ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens, are proud to announce the addition of new Assistant Coach Clark Donatelli to the team. He will join Head Coach Stan Drulia behind the bench for the Nailers for the team's 20th season of professional hockey.
Donatelli played professionally from 1989-1996 with a variety of teams in the NHL, IHL and AHL after a standout career at Boston University and also played in two Olympics serving as captain of Team USA in the 1992 Olympics in Albertville, France. After his playing career, Clark has continued his work with USA Hockey and held several coaching positions including most recently as an assistant coach with Providence College.
He represented the USA at the 1984 and 1985 World Junior Championships, the 1985, 1986, and 1987 World Championships, and the 1988 and 1992 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta and Albertville, France.
As the team captain of the 1992 Olympic squad, he led the team to the Bronze Medal game. Previous to the Olympics, the team was given no chance to compete, but Donatelli and his team went 4-0-1 in preliminary play and advanced to the medal round. The team's games went from shown on delay to shown live on major network NBC. They finished fourth overall with a loss in the Bronze Medal game to Czechoslovakia, but they captured the heart of the Nation.
While playing for Team USA in the 1988 Olympics, Donatelli played with many great future NHL players: Mike Richter, Brian Leetch, Penguins great Kevin Stevens, Craig Janney, Chris Terreri, Eric Weinrich, and Penguins current assistant coach Tony Granato. Most notably to Nailers fans, Clark also played alongside former Wheeling Nailers coach (and now the Philadelphia Flyers head coach) Peter Laviolette during those Olympics.
Donatelli is a native of Providence, Rhode Island. He played at Boston University for legendary Head Coach Jack Parker from 1984-87 before joining the U.S. National Team in 1987-88. In the 1985-86 season he was a second-team All-American, scoring a team-leading 28 goals and 34 assists for 62 points in just 43 games as the Terriers won the Hockey East title. In just three seasons with the Terriers he amassed 135 points (60 goals and 75 assists) in 120 games, which ranks him 32nd on the all-time leading scorers list for Boston University (one of the most prestigious Division I hockey schools in the Nation's history).
Donatelli was a fifth round pick of the New York Rangers (#98 overall) in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. His 35 games in the National Hockey League included 25 games with the Minnesota North Stars in 1989-90 and 10 games with the Boston Bruins in 1991-92. He scored three goals and four assists in the NHL.
He also played six seasons in the AHL and IHL (which was an AAA league at the time) for the Kalamazoo Wings, now members of the ECHL, San Diego Gulls, Los Angeles Ice Dogs, Detroit Vipers and Providence Bruins.
Come see Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens prospects start their professional careers with fast-paced, hard-hitting ECHL hockey. The Nailers will open training camp on Monday October 3rd for the start of the 20th season of professional hockey in Wheeling. The Nailers are the all-time winningest team in the ECHL with 833 total victories entering 2011-12 and lead the ECHL in players making it to the NHL.
Call or Visit the Nailers now to be part of the 20th season of fun and affordable entertainment. Ticket packages for the 2011-2012 season of Nailers hockey are on sale now and include the same great benefits that Nailers fans have become accustomed to receiving. For more information, please contact the Nailers office at 304-234-GOAL (4625) or toll-free at 1-877-NAIL-TIX (624-5849) or visit the team website at wheelingnailers.com. Be A Part Of History!
ECHL Stories from September 22, 2011
- Agreement Renewed with 1280 AM KWSX - Stockton Thunder
- Two More Defensemen Return to Aces - Alaska Aces
- Veteran Zion, Rookies Lawson and Cumiskey Coming to Bakersfield - Bakersfield Condors
- ECHL Concludes Board of Governors Pre-Season Meeting - ECHL
- Blue Line Leader Brian O'Hanley Returns to Cyclones - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Kalamazoo Announces Affliation with Vancouver Canucks - Kalamazoo Wings
- Condors Trade the Rights to Bobby Robins to Chicago - Bakersfield Condors
- Express Trade for Bobby Robins - Chicago Express
- Road Warriors' Preseason Game Tickets on Sale Tomorrow - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Grizzlies Sign Defenseman Patrick Cullity - Utah Grizzlies
- Jackals Tack on Four Forwards - Elmira Jackals
- CenturyLink Arena: Game On - Idaho Steelheads
- Nailers Hire 2-Time USA Olympian as Assistant Coach - Wheeling Nailers
- Familiar Faces And New Names Highlight Latest Signings For K-Wings - Kalamazoo Wings
- Royals Radio Recon Chugs Right on Time into the Railroad - Reading Royals
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
