Shawn Wheeler

Shawn Wheeler was a professional ice hockey forward and coach. He was born in Mount Vernon, New York on June 8, 1966.

Wheeler played college hockey at the University of Wisconsin, leading the team in penalty minutes in all four of his seasons there. His playing career was mostly limited to the East Coast Hockey League, where he was a noted power forward. He scored 30 goals in four different seasons in Greensboro, Hampton Roads and Charlotte despite high totals in penalty minutes each season. His 301 penalty minutes in 1991-92 were the fifth-highest total in the league, and that season he scored a career-high 36 goals. Wheeler was notable as the most prominent African-American player in the ECHL at the time, which combined with his rough playing style made him an occasional target of hostility from opposing fans.

In 1995 Wheeler was traded from the Hampton Roads Admirals to their rival, the Charlotte Checkers, where he began to assume some coaching duties under head coach John Marks. The following season he played a key role in the Checkers' championship title as player/assistant-coach. Following his retirement from playing duties in 1996-97, he took on the role of assistant coach, and then became head coach in 1998-99 after Marks was fired.

Wheeler's tenure as coach lasted only a season and a half, as he guided the Checkers to a record of 43-48-14 and was dismissed midway through the 1999-00 season. He was replaced by Don MacAdam.