The Wheeling Nailers announced today they have re-signed David Drake for the 2024-25 ECHL season. Drake has been with the Nailers since the 2021-22 season after being acquired from the Reading Royals. The Naperville, IL native has 15 games of experience in the American Hockey League with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and 333 games played in the ECHL. Drake will look to build off his career-high 18 assists, 20 points, and +18 goal differential rating during the 2023-24 regular season.
Drake took his junior hockey journey to the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Des Moines Buccaneers. Through two seasons with Des Moines, Drake played 63 games, notching one goal and five assists. From there, he committed to the University of Connecticut where he played four years, being named as an assistant captain for his junior and senior seasons. In his NCAA career, Drake recorded four goals and 25 points across 124 games played at Connecticut. At the end of his senior season, he earned an opportunity with the Phantoms in the AHL. To begin his pro career, Drake played eight games, seven during the regular season and one in the playoffs. He got off to a good start, collecting two points.
Drake is a large body and uses it well. Listed at 6-foot-5, Drake uses his length and long wingspan to keep players outside and prevent easy entrance into the zone. He makes offensive players’ life’s miserable when they get to the front of the net. Drake makes it look effortless to move them out of the way to allow the goaltender a clear path to track the puck. Over the last two seasons, he has been gaining more confidence with his point production, having collected double-digit point totals in back-to-back seasons for the first time in his career.
