Nailers bring back Koopman

Action photo of Matt Koopman of the Wheeling Nailers

WHEELING, W.Va.- The Wheeling Nailers, ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, announced the team has re-signed forward Matt Koopman to a contract for the 2024-25 season.

Koopman, 26, was the only Nailer to appear in all 71 regular-season games and all nine playoff matches in 2023-24, making him the 26th iron man in team history. In addition to being a reliable player in the lineup, he enjoyed a productive first full professional season, as he finished tied for eighth on the team with 34 points (16g-18a). Koopman's game continued to improve as the season went along, and he stepped up in a big way during the playoffs, as his four goals ranked tied for second on the squad, while his eight points were tied for the third most. Six of those points came during the first round victory over the Indy Fuel, which included a two-goal performance in the clinching fifth game.

The Marblehead, Massachusetts native made his professional debut with Wheeling at the end of the 2022-23 season, as he registered seven points in 14 games. Prior to turning pro, Koopman played five seasons of college hockey at Providence College and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. Koopman's best collegiate season was his final year at Providence in 2021-22, when he accumulated 12 points (5g-7a).