ECHL: Wheeling Nailers Hire Ryan Papaioannou as Head Coach

The Wheeling Nailers, in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Penguins, have announced that they have hired Ryan Papaioannou as the team’s 21st head coach in franchise history. He replaces Derek Army, who took a job with the Colorado Eagles earlier this Summer. Assistant coach Mitch Giguere and goaltending coach Karel Popper will both be back with Wheeling next season. The rest of the coaching staff will be announced prior to the Pittsburgh Penguins Training Camp.

Papaioannou, 41, has spent the last 17 years in the Brooks Bandits organization, including the last as the team’s head coach and GM. The Bandits went 907-217-48 in his 1,172 games behind the bench. His best season came in 2018-19, where the team went 57-3-0 finishing the year with 33 straight wins and beginning the following season with 22 wins in a row. He led the Bandits to their first BCHL Championship last season, marking the team’s inaugural season in the BCHL, and has led the team to nine championships during his time in Brooks. The Calgary, Alberta, native was named Coach of the Year on the three different occasions (2019, 2022, 2023).

“Being the head coach for the Wheeling Nailers is an opportunity that my family and I couldn’t pass up, and an opportunity to get involved with a storied team,” said Nailers Head Coach Ryan Papaioannou. “Wheeling is a great place to raise a family, it’s an organization with a storied history, and the tie with the Pittsburgh Penguins all made this somewhere we wanted to be.”

-Papaioannou on being named head coach of the Wheeling Nailers (Via Wheeling Nailers Press Release)

Prior to coaching, Papaioannou would spend his playing days in Juniors, but he never made it to the professional level. In two seasons in the WHL, he spent time with the Calgary Hitmen, Lethbridge Hurricanes, and Seattle Thunderbirds. In 62 games, he put up a 28-29-2 record with a 3.19 GAA and .888SV%. Papaioannou spent 18 games with the Montcon Wildcats in what would be his last year as a player. He would post a 9-3 record with a 2.89 GAA and .905SV%. Papaioannou also saw action in one QMJHL Playoff game.