Nailers Receive Four Players from AHL Penguins
March 4, 2016 - ECHL (ECHL)
Wheeling Nailers News Release
WHEELING, WV- The Wheeling Nailers, proud ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, have announced the additions of four more players to the roster - all of who come from the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Defenseman Harrison Ruopp and forward Tyler Biggs were assigned to Wheeling by Pittsburgh, while defenseman Clark Seymour and forward John McCarron were both loaned to the Nailers by Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Ruopp, 22, has spent the most time in the Pittsburgh organization out of the four players, as he is currently in his third professional season. 2015-16 has been Harrison's most productive season offensively, as he netted his first two career goals, while chipping in three assists for five points in 29 games with the Nailers. He has also seen eight games of action with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, bringing his AHL games total up to 36. The 6-foot-2 blueliner is perhaps best known for his physical abilities, as his 65 penalty minutes rank second on the Wheeling roster, trailing only Patrick McGrath's 110.
Biggs, 22, is the only one of the four players who has yet to suit up in a Nailers uniform, which he is expected to do for the first time on Friday night. This will not be the first ECHL action for Tyler, who appeared in eight games with the Orlando Solar Bears last season, registering four goals, two assists, and six points. Thus far this season, the former first round draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs has tallied one goal and one assist in eight games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. In this, his third full season as a pro, Biggs has career totals of 15 goals, eight assists, 23 points, and 122 penalty minutes in 124 games.
Seymour, 22, is enjoying a tremendous second season as a professional, as his productivity has increased at a phenomenal rate. After posting one goal and 15 assists between the AHL and ECHL levels in 66 games a year ago, Clark has already bested his goal and point totals, despite playing in just 37 contests. The Brockville, Ontario native has four goals, eight assists, and 12 points in 20 games with Wheeling, in addition to three goals, three assists, and six points in 17 tilts with the AHL Penguins. Seymour set career-highs with two goals and three points on November 10th, then set the team's season-high for shots on goal in a single game, when he directed 11 pucks on net during a February 17th match at Elmira.
McCarron, 23, is coming off of his longest stint in the AHL, and has now played in 12 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season. Prior to his recall, John was experiencing one of his best stretches of the season, as he racked up eight points in eight games from December 12th through January 17th. The Macomb, Michigan native is the lone rookie out of the four, as he made the jump to the pro game this summer, following four years of college hockey at Cornell University. In 34 games with the Nailers, McCarron has recorded eight goals, 12 assists, and 20 points, which ranks him fourth among active team members, trailing Riley Brace, Mathew Maione, and Cody Wydo.
In order to make room for these four players, plus the additions of Dan O'Donoghue and James Melindy, the Nailers were forced to make three other roster moves, as they released forwards Massimo Lamacchia and Louis Belisle, while trading defenseman Mike Slowikowski to Toledo. In a pair of separate moves, Wheeling placed forward Andrew Ammon and goaltender Casey DeSmith on injured reserve.
All six of the Nailers newest additions are expected to be in the lineup on Friday night, when Wheeling plays the first of two road games against the Reading Royals at 7:00. The Nailers will play four games at home next week on Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Saturday is Duck Dynasty Night, starring Si Robertson, while Sunday is Pups 'N Pucks, in which fans can bring their dogs to the game.
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