On Thursday September 10th, the Wheeling Nailers announced the signing of Canadian defensemen Chad Duchesne. The two sides agreed to terms on a standard player contract for the upcoming season. Duchesne was acquired by Wheeling from the Greenville Swamp Rabbits for future considerations. This would be the finishing touch on the Cedric Lacroix deal completed last summer.
Duchesne, from Kingston, Ontario, has spanned four seasons playing pro hockey in Greenville. That being said, he is excited to be joining the Nailers. “The direction that Mark French and Derek Army are bringing the team is great for the organization, and I’m excited to be part of it. I pride myself on doing whatever it takes to win. I have a defence first mentality, but I can also help out offensively.”
In a statement on Thursday from Mark French, head coach of the Wheeling Nailers, he said of the team’s latest signing, “Chad is a proven defender at the ECHL level. He is a heart and soul type player with a great compete level.”
To date, the Nailers have signed forwards Alec Butcher, Brad Drobot, Andrew Gaus, Luke Lynch and Will Smith. They’ve also reportedly signed Carlos Fornaris. The defensive core continues to grow with Jeremy Beaudry, Chad Duchesne, Marc-Olivier Duquette, Shane Zumeski and Kyle McKenzie. They’ve also reportedly signed Nick Minerva.