The Mascot T-Bird

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Dan's love for music went hand in hand with his love for hockey. Dan was considered to be a vital part of the team. From his own team jersey number 25 and then 00, to taking road trips with the hockey team, Dan loved both the Team, and the fans. The team also considered Dan to be part of their game plan and appreciated what Dan brought to the team. In 2000 they presented him with a Jersey with all the team signing it in appreciation to what he brought to the team.

 In 2005 Dan returned for a "Turn back the Clock" with formar coach Doug Sauter  and several of the once T-Bird player's.  The crowd was electrified to have Dan back in the building.

The Organist

ECHL: Organist makes hockey history

One of the oldest low-minor league hockey teams, the franchise began play in 1982 in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League as the Carolina Thunderbirds based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The team, along with the Virginia Lancers, joined the All-American Hockey League in 1987, which lasted just the 1987-88 season, after which the Thunderbirds, Lancers, and Johnstown Chiefs formed the basis for the modern ECHL, of which the Thunderbirds won the first ECHL playoff championship, then known as the Jack Riley Cup, defeating the Johnstown Chiefs, 4-3 for the 1988-89 season. They became the Winston-Salem Thunderbirds in 1990 and moved to Wheeling in 1992.

Dan became the music director and team organist in 1992 in the first season of professional hockey in Wheeling, Wv. Retired as a Concert artist for the Wurlitzer Company Dan's road in his musical journey in life was lanuched into the history books of professioal hockey. Dan brought to the ice a new dimension in music. As he once painted musical pictures traveling throughout the U.S. he now brought those musical pictures into the hockey arena. He had special songs for the players, the teams, and even their coaches.  Dan entertained the crowds from chants to his musical arrangements for the players and the teams including sound effects. It was at the end of the first season that Dan made professional hockey history. In a play-off game in this first season Dan was ejected from a game for taunting the officals with the song "Three blind mice". The game was being televised in Canada and ESPN sports. The ousting from the game made front page news and was picked up by wire services nationwide, making Dan the first organist in professional hockey history to ever be ejected from a game. A letter was directed to him from the commissioner of the league warning him and the team of a $500.00 fine and a bench minor penalty. Couch Doug Sauter commented along with the local papers that Dan was a important part of the team and fired up the crowds with his music. The teams that visited Wheeling were well award of Dan and the 'special' songs he had for their teams and players as well for his own team and players. Below The crowd of nearly 6,000 gives Dan a standing ovation at a game.

Below: Front page news, ESPN, and many National News-paper's for becoming the first orgainst in the History of professional hockey to ever become ejected from a game.

3 Times ejected...  Needless to say Dan, was not liked by the officals that visited Wheeling. Dan kept both his eyes and the crowds eyes upon how the officals called the game. Dan was ejected two more times in the following seasons, for so called taunting the officals calls.

After a trademark dispute with the junior league Seattle Thunderbirds, the club became the Nailers for the 1996-97 season when the franchise held a contest open to local fans, which was won by C.J. Wickham of Steubenville, Ohio. The name "Nailers" was chosen for the city's long history of nail manufacturing. The team colors are black, red, and Vegas gold.

While they were still the Wheeling Thunderbirds, members of the team in 1994-95 also participated in the filming of the Jean-Claude Van Damme movie "Sudden Death". Because of the NHL lockout, the scene where Van Damme's character attempts to stop a bomber from bombing Mellon Arena during Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals was filmed with players from the Chiefs and Thunderbirds.

The team plays at the WesBanco Arena (formerly the Wheeling Civic Center). After missing the playoffs for five straight seasons, they had a 106-point season in 2003-04. They were defeated by the Reading Royals in 5 games, 3-2. In season 2005-06 they had a great season making it to the second round of the playoffs losing to Toledo in the final second of the final game. Dan played for 6 seasons and also played a history making event of the First All-Star game for the ECHL. In the 2007-2008 season. 

 Dan made a requested appearance during the opening week-end. Dan has been on ESPN/Saturday Night in Canada [CBC]/Hockey night in Canada along with many sport casts throughout the United States. During his hockey day's Dan composed and recorded a song called " Hockey Night". Dan also worked with other's in establishing the First High School Hockey Team in the State of West Virginia at Wheeling Park High School.

Hockey 101

Penalties ...

A team plays shorthanded when one or more of its players is charged with a penalty. However, no team is forced to play more than two players below full strength (six) at any time. When a third penalty is assessed to the same team, it is suspended until the first penalty expires. When a penalty is called on a goalie, a teammate serves his time in the penalty box.

Minor penalty (Two minutes) Called for tripping, hooking, spearing, slashing, charging, roughing, holding, elbowing or boarding.

Major penalty  (Five minutes) Called for fighting or when minor penalties are committed with deliberate attempt to injure. Major penalties for slashing, spearing, high-sticking, elbowing, butt-ending and cross-checking carry automatic game misconducts.

Misconduct  (10 minutes) Called for various forms of unsportsmanlike behavior or when a player incurs a second major penalty in a game. This is a penalty against an individual and not a team, so a substitute is permitted.

Penalty shot  A free shot, unopposed except for the goalie, given to a player who is illegally impeded from behind when he has possession of the puck with no opponent between him and the goal except the goalie. The team that commits the offense is not penalized beyond the penalty shot, whether it succeeds or not.

Delayed penalty  Whistle is delayed until the penalized team regains possession of the puck.

Upon the recommendation of the Rules Committee, the Board approved the adoption of the following new rules in 2005-06:

 Passes from behind the defensive blue line to the attacking blue line will be considered legal. The center red line will be ignored for purposes of the "two- line pass".

 A team that ices the puck cannot make a line change prior to the ensuing face-off.

 Dimensions of goaltender equipment will be reduced by approximately 11 percent, including a one-inch reduction in the width of leg pads to 11 inches as well as reducing the size of the blocking glove, catcher, upper-body protector and pants. Goaltenders in the ECHL must be in compliance with the new regulations no later than December 15, 2005, the same date mandated by the American Hockey League.

 Goaltenders may play the puck behind the goal line only in a trapezoid-shaped area defined by lines that being six feet from either goal post and extend diagonally to points 28 feet apart at the endboards. Goaltenders who play the puck behind the goal line but outside the designated puck-handling area will be penalized for delay of game.

 Any player who shoots the puck directly over the glass in his defending zone will be penalized for delay of game.

The Rules Committee recommended the league work with the on-ice officiating staff to tighten the standards for the three main areas of obstruction. The league will closely monitor the new standard of enforcement being applied in the NHL and the AHL. The ECHL has had the tag-up rule for several seasons, which permits play to continue if offensive players who preceded the puck into the zone return to the blue line and tag up. The ECHL will continue to use no-touch icing and will continue to use five shooters in the shootout.

A  Letter worn on the uniform of the alternate captain(s).

Assist  An assist is awarded to a player for helping set up a goal. Assists are awarded to the last man or two men to handle the puck prior to the goal.

Attacking zone  The area of the rink from the opponents blue line to the end of the rink that contains the oppositions goal. The zone where the team attempts to score.

Backcheck  Forwards in the enemy zone pick up their man and skate back quickly to their own end of the ice to protect their goal and keep the opponent from shooting.

Boards  The wall that encloses the ice surface.

Bodycheck  A bodycheck is used to slow or stop an opponent with the puck by using hip or shoulder.

Butt-ending  To legally hit an opponent with the end of the stick farthest from the blade.

C  Letter worn on the uniform of the team captain.

Clearing the Puck  When the puck is passed or shot away from the front of the net or other congested area, the player is clearing the puck.

The Crease  The painted semi circle in front of the net. No player from the attacking team is allowed inside the crease unless the puck is there.

Defensive Zone  A teams end zone where it tries to prevent goals from being scored.

Deke  A deke is a fake by a puck carrier to stickhandle his way around an opponent or to make the goalie move out of position.

Drop Pass  An offensive maneuver that occurs when the puck carrier leaves the puck behind to be picked up by a trailing teammate.

Face-Off To start the play at any time, the puck is dropped between two opposing players facing each other. Time starts when the puck is dropped.

Five-Hole  The open area between the goalie�s legs where the opponents sometimes attempt to shoot the puck.

Forecheck  Forwards forecheck by hustling in the opponent�s defensive zone to either keep the puck there or take it away.

Freezing the Puck  A player freezes the puck by holding it against the boards with the stick or skates.

Hat Trick  The scoring of three or more goals by a player in one game.

Head Manning  A forward pass made to an attacking player.

Man Advantage  A team with one or more players on the ice than its opponent.

Major Penalty  A five-minute penalty assessed for fighting and other flagrant minor infractions.

Minor Penalty  A two-minute penalty assessed for general infractions.

Neutral Zone  The central ice area between the defending and attacking zones enclosed by the two blue lines is called the neutral zone.

Offensive Zone  The area of the rink within the opponent�s blue line that contains opposition�s goal. Its the zone where teams attempt to score.

One-Timer  Hitting the puck directly after receiving a pass. The player takes his backswing while the puck is on its way to him and aims the puck at the net.

Penalty Killing  The act of preventing goals while playing shorthanded.

Penalty Shot  A penalty shot is a one-on-one showdown between an offensive player and the goalie. Penalty shots are called when a player is fouled from behind and denied a breakaway scoring opportunity. They�re also called when a defensive player other than the goalie covers the puck with his hand in the goal crease.

Poke check  To use the stick in a quick jabbing motion to dislodge the puck from the opponents.

Power Play  A power play occurs when a team has a one-man or two-man advantage because of an opponents penalties.

Screened Shot  Goaltender�s view is blocked by players between he and the shooter.

Slap Shot  Hitting the puck with the blade of the stick after taking a full backswing.

Slot  The area immediately in front of the goal. It is from this zone that most goals are scored and where most furious activity takes place.

Splitting the Defense  The player with the puck attempts to squeeze between the opponent�s defensemen.

Stickhandling  The art of carrying the puck up the ice often deking opponents.

Top Shelf  When an offensive player shoots high past the goalie, putting the puck in the top part of the net.

Trailer  The player skating behind the puck carrier.

Wrap-around  When an offensive player shoots high past the goalie, putting the puck in the top part of the net.

Wrist shot  A wrist shot is when the puck is propelled off the blade of the stick with a flicking motion of the wrist.

The Game Made Easy ...

Goaltender  The goalie's primary task is simple - keep the puck out of his own net. Offensively, he may start his team down the ice with a pass, but seldom does he leave the net he guards.

Defensemen  These players try to stop the incoming play at their own blue line. They try to break up passes, block shots, cover opposing forwards and clear the puck from in front of their own goal. Offensively, they get the puck to their forwards and follow the play into the attacking zone, positioning themselves just inside their opponent's blue line at the "points."

Center  The quarterback on the ice, the center leads the attack by carrying the puck on offense. He exchanges passes with his wings to steer the play toward the opposing goal. On defense, he tries to disrupt a play before it gets on his team's side of the ice.

Wings  The wings team with the center on the attack to set up shots on goal. Defensively, they attempt to break up plays by their counterparts and upset the shot attempts.

 Dans Bio Page 

Team logo's and new's articles used by permission.