Finding His Way Back: Kishaun Gervais Begins A New Chapter In Wheeling

For Kishaun Gervais, the road to professional hockey was anything but ordinary.

The 24-year-old forward has experienced the highs and lows that can come when trying to stabilize themselves in professional hockey. After stepping away from the game last season, Gervais is preparing to turn over a new chapter of his career with the Wheeling Nailers.

Gervais's story is much more about returning to the game, than it is what team he signed with. 

Born in Keeseekoose First Nation, Saskatchewan, Gervais started working on his game in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League before heading to the Western Hockey League. His junior career included time playing with the Yorkton Terriers and Portland Winterhawks, where he continued developing his game and becoming a forward who could contribute offensively while playing with a gritty edge to his playing style.

With Yorkton, Gervais tallied 66 points in 96 games, including 32 goals, while adding 14 points in 24 post-season games. He later appeared in 50 games with the Winterhawks, notching nine goals and 10 assists. 

Gervais skill and physical style followed him into the world of professional hockey. He began his road in professional hockey with the Tulsa Oilers during the course of the 2023-2024 season. He had an immediate impact having 13 goals and nine assists during the span of 52 games. 

The next season brought his career to different places. Gervais spent time in Finland playing in 22 games for RoKI before making a return to the ECHL and rejoining the Tulsa Oilers. He was traded to the Adirondack Thunder in January of 2025. In 35 games with Adirondack during the 2024-25 season, he put up seven goals and added 10 assists.

With a career that looked to be moving in the right direction, 2025-2026 threw Gervais a curveball. He began the season with Adirondack. He dressed in 21 games and notched two goals and four assists. He was traded to the Kalamazoo Wings where he appeared in five games before leaving the sport for a short time. 

Hockey has a way of pulling players back in, and Gervais story isn't finished. This return to play gives him the chance to go back to his career that was once moving toward the next level. With 122 regular-season ECHL games and 27 goals with 24 assists, along with 223 penalty minutes, this gives a glimpse at the type of player Head Coach Nate DiCasmirro and his staff are bringing onto the roster. 

Gervais is someone who has a willingness to play with grit and makes himself noticeable. This element of his game will be valuable to a rebuilding Nailers team. This opportunity is significant for Gervais. 

It's not just another stop on his journey; it's a chance to return to something he took a step back from. There is still plenty of hockey left for Gervais, and turning that motivation into showing the type of player he has been all along.