WHEELING — The Wheeling Nailers, proud ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins, are excited to announce their second player signing of the 2025 offseason. Wheeling has re-signed defenseman Aidan Sutter to an ECHL contract.

Sutter, 22, joined the Nailers during the back half of the 2024-25 season, after beginning the year at the University of Calgary. He appeared in 17 games on Wheeling’s blueline, and dished out a pair of assists. One of those was his first professional point, as he set up Eli Lieffers for the opening goal, which was also the game-winner in a 2-0 home victory over Tulsa on February 22. The rookie defenseman was first acquired by the Nailers in a trade from the Florida Everblades in December of 2023. At that time, Sutter had decided to attend the University of Calgary, so Wheeling extended him a qualifying offer in the summer of 2024, which gave the Nailers exclusive rights to negotiate with him during the 2024-25 season. Prior to making the switch to USports, Sutter appeared in six games with the Everblades.

The Kamloops, British Columbia, native collected four assists and 36 penalty minutes in ten games at the University of Calgary, which included a game in the University Cup Playoffs.

Prior to turning pro, the blueliner played four seasons of junior hockey with the WHL’s Everett Silvertips. Sutter’s best offensive season with the Silvertips was his final campaign in 2022-23, when he was the club’s top scoring defenseman with 38 points in 62 games. Aidan’s defensive game shined brightly one year earlier, when he posted a plus-20 rating, which was third best among Everett blueliners.

Combining his time with Everett and Calgary, Sutter amassed a plus-45 rating in 193 amateur contests.

Sutter and the Wheeling Nailers will begin the 2025-26 season in Cincinnati on Saturday, Oct. 18. The first home game is Saturday, Nov. 1 against the Norfolk Admirals.