After several weeks of thorough searching, the Wheeling Nailers [https://thehockeynews.com/echl/latest-news/kMtLBXc67p6OpZMLwPAP]officially have a new head coach. The club, in conjunction with the Pittsburgh Penguins [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins], have announced that Ryan Papaioannou (pronounced: pa-pah-waw-noh) has been named the 21st head coach in team history. Papaioannou, 41, served as the head coach and general manager of the Brooks Bandits for the past 16 seasons, and enjoyed outstanding success, as the team played in the Alberta Junior Hockey League and the British Columbia Hockey League. Under his leadership, the Bandits captured seven AJHL Championships (2011-12, 2012-13, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2018-19, 2021-22, 2022-23), one BCHL Championship (2024-25), four Centennial/RBC Cup Championships (2012-13, 2018-19, 2021-22, 2022-23) as the national champion of Junior "A," a Western Canada Cup (2016-17) as the Junior "A" champion from western Canada, and a Rocky Mountain Challenge (2023-24) as the champion of Alberta. "Ryan Papaioannou comes to the Nailers with an amazing track record of being able to consistently produce a winning team, while developing talented players for the next level," Nailers President & Governor Brian Komorowski stated. "We are looking forward to welcoming Ryan and his family to Wheeling, as we anticipate another successful season both on the ice and in the community." The Calgary, Alberta native posted a remarkable record of 907-217-48 in 1,172 career games as the head coach of the Bandits. Those numbers equate to a .774 winning percentage and a .794 points percentage. Brooks earned at least 50 wins in a season six times, topped by a 57-3-0 mark during the 2018-19 campaign. That year, Papaioannou's Bandits finished the regular season with a 33-game winning streak. The team followed that up by starting the 2019-20 regular season with 22 straight victories, which created a 55-game regular season winning streak between the two years. The 2018-19 season was one of three times that Ryan was recognized as AJHL Coach of the Year, as he also earned that honor in 2012-13 and 2021-22. "Being the head coach for the Wheeling Nailers is an opportunity that my family and I couldn't pass up, and an opportunity to get involved with a storied team," Papaioannou said in a statement. "Wheeling is a great place to raise a family, it's an organization with a storied history, and the tie with the Pittsburgh Penguins all made this somewhere we wanted to be." Papaioannou developed some remarkable players in Brooks, who are building notable professional careers today. The most recognizable name is Stanley Cup Champion, Conn Smythe Trophy winner, two-time Norris Trophy winner, and Calder Trophy winner Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/colorado-avalanche]. Another player from the 2024-25 NHL [https://thehockeynews.com/]season who played for Ryan was Jeff Malott of the Los Angeles Kings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/los-angeles-kings]. Current and former Nailers who played for Papaioannou include Jared Cockrell, Randy Hernández, Josh McKechney, and Phip Waugh. “Adding Ryan to the organization as the head coach of the Wheeling Nailers is a pivotal hire for the Penguins and our development system,” Pittsburgh Penguins Assistant General Manager Jason Spezza noted. “Ryan has consistently delivered winning results, including multiple championships during his 16 years as head coach and general manager of the Brooks Bandits. Additionally, he has a long track record of developing elite players, helping them to reach their potential and while contributing to a winning program. In the coming years, the number of young draft picks and free agents we will have entering pro hockey with our organization will be immense. As a result this hire was of tremendous importance to the Penguins and we are thrilled to get to work with Ryan." Papaioannou will be moving to Wheeling with his family. He and his wife Jordana have two sons - ten-year old Ambrose and five-year old Calix.
