On Wednesday August 26th, the Wheeling Nailers announced the re-signing of American defensemen Kyle McKenzie. The two sides agreed to terms on a standard player contract for the upcoming season. McKenzie was acquired by Wheeling in a trade with the Worcester Railers.
McKenzie’s time as a Nailer was shortened this season after sustaining an injury in just his second game in Wheeling. The Dallas native has recorded four goals and 14 assists in 130 career ECHL games. This made for a total of 18 points. As such, the left-handed shooter will be a strong addition to the hockey club’s roster. In a statement from head coach Mark French, he said of McKenzie re-signing for 2020-21, “Kyle is a steady two-way defensemen. He adds experience, skill, and leadership to our roster.”
Upon signing his contract on Wednesday, McKenzie said the chance to return, “Wheeling is a first class organization that treats its players very well. Everyone I met there made an impression on me, then this summer, Mark pushed hard to sign me. I want to bring my experience to help the team make the playoffs.”
To date, the Nailers have signed forwards Alec Butcher, Brad Drobot, Andrew Gaus, Luke Lynch, Will Smith and reportedly Carlos Fornaris. The defensive core continues to grow with Jeremy Beaudry, Marc-Olivier Duquette, Kyle McKenzie and Shane Zumeski.