Nailers Re-Sign Matt Schepke

[chilly666]

The Wheeling Nailers, proud ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens are excited to announce a transaction for the upcoming season. Wheeling has signed forward Matt Schepke to a one-year ECHL contract.

"Matt was a great addition to our team last season, when we received him in the trade, and I am excited to work with him again this year," said head coach Clark Donatelli. "He fits the style of our team very well, and his experience and success in this league are both beneficial tools," he said.

Schepke, 27, returns to the Nailers, after playing the final 29 games of the 2011-12 season with the team, following a trade with the Reading Royals. Prior to turning pro, Matt played two seasons of junior hockey with the USHL's Omaha Lancers, on his way to attending Michigan State University, where he majored in Interdisciplinary Studies/Human Resource Management, while also playing hockey for three years. During his time with the Spartans, the Warren, MI native accumulated 28 goals, 26 assists, and 54 points in 99 games, while also winning a National Championship in 2007. At the end of the 2008-09 season, Schepke made the jump to the professional level, splitting each of the next three years between the AHL and ECHL. Matt began the 2011-12 campaign with the Royals, recording eight goals and 21 points in 41 games, before matching those totals in just 29 games with Wheeling.

"It's a great feeling to be signing with the Nailers again," said Schepke. "Clark brought me in last season to finish the year out, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Wheeling. I am looking forward to another successful season with a great group of guys," he said.