David Drake becomes the 19th player with at least four seasons in Wheeling.
Making history probably didn't occur to David Drake when he re-signed with the Wheeling Nailers this week. But the 29-year-old veteran defenseman nevertheless became the 19th player in team history to play in Wheeling in parts of four seasons.
Drake, a native of Naperville, Illinois, has appeared in 177 games as a Nailer over his career, tying him for 17th on the club's all-time list. During that time, he has recorded 6 goals and 40 assists for 46 points, to go along with a stellar +32 rating.
In 2022-23, Drake's +12 rating was tied for the team lead. His +18 rating last season was second among defensemen, highlighting an above-average ability to shut down the opposition.
Drake was originally acquired by the Nailers in a trade with the Reading Royals during the 2021-22 season. He also appeared briefly in the AHL, playing in 14 games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Providence Bruins and Rochester Americans. All told, he has played 327 games in professional hockey.
Prior to turning pro, Drake played four seasons of college hockey at the University of Connecticut from 2014-18. He tallied 25 points in 124 games with the Huskies, and served as an alternate captain for both his junior and senior years.
Drake proved himself as a shot blocker at UConn, averaging over one block per game in each of his four seasons for a total of 170. As a senior, he had a career-high 56 blocks, third-best on the team and 12th-best in Hockey East.
While playing junior hockey with the USHL's Des Moines Buccaneers, Drake was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers as the 191st pick in the 2013 NHL Draft.