Wheeling, W.Va. – The Wheeling Nailers have announced the signing of forward Chris Dodero to a contract for the 2026‑27 season.
Dodero, 30, will begin his fifth professional season and his third in the ECHL. He launched his pro career in 2022‑23 with HK Olimpija Ljubljana of the ICE Hockey League, where he recorded 30 points in 39 games and captured a Slovenian championship. The following season he moved to Europe’s ICE Hockey League with the Graz 99ers and to Germany’s DEL2 with Starsbulls Rosenheim.
In the 2024‑25 ECHL campaign, Dodero started with the Tahoe Knight Monsters before being dealt to the Cincinnati Cyclones in December, where he contributed 18 points in 39 appearances. He was traded again last summer to the Idaho Steelheads, where he posted 27 points and a +11 rating over 52 games.
Dodero’s collegiate career spanned five seasons at American International College (2017‑22), amassing 71 points (26 goals, 45 assists) in 134 games. His breakout year came in 2021‑22, when he tied for third on the Yellow Jackets with 29 points.
