Wheeling, W.Va-- As the NHL lockout looms, and teams like the Pittsburgh Penguins have gone dark for now, NEWS9 is learning what impact this will have on the minor leagues, the ECHL and the Wheeling Nailers.

If you need a live hockey fix, the Wheeling Nailers season is on, as players have come into town for practices that begin Wednesday and pre-season games starting Sunday.

But some big changes are expected for the Nailers this season and the effect of the lockout on the team will be two-fold.

Tuesday in Wesbanco Arena, a Zamboni engine hummed, cutting the ice for Wednesday’s first team practice.

Seats in the empty arena may look that way for a while in the big leagues, but team officials said that becomes an opportunity in Wheeling.

“We're going to try to get as many people in around the region and try to expand our outreach to different, various areas of the region and really try to pack this house every night this year," said DJ Abisalih, Nailers Director of Media Relations.

Fans will be treated to some new sights this season.

The team will have the same logo, but different colors. It's now a black-and-gold color scheme for the Nailers, further aligning them with their parent club in Pittsburgh.

For the playing arena, new video boards will be mounted in the coming days.

But there is one potential drawback to the lockout and it stems from one fact that may strengthen the Nailers in a normal year.

They share an affiliation with two NHL/AHL partnerships rather than just one.

“There's going to be a lot of players coming down here at the start of the year. All depending on how long the lockout lasts, that may be all well and good, but if the lockout does end which any hockey fan wants it to-- that means that players are going to take that step up to the next level, up to the AHL and it's going to almost create a free-for-all," said Abisalih.

An ECHL club can carry 20 active and two reserve players at any time. The Nailers are in a position unlike many other teams, if and when the lockout ends, instead of one, two AHL teams will pull players off the Nailers roster to fill gaps left as those AHL players depart for a restarting NHL.

This could possibly leave the Nailers with an extra-depleted roster.

Stay with NEWS9 and WTOV9.com for continuing coverage.