WHEELING - As a former player, Wheeling Nailers assistant coach Doug Doull says you can sense when the hammer is about to come down. For that reason there are some guys on the current team who should know their time in Wheeling is about to run out.

''There will probably be changes,'' Doull said after Saturday night's 6-3 loss to Cincinnati at WesBanco Arena. ''Some guys have literally laid an egg - another egg.

''It's unacceptable.''

Doull hinted that some of the younger players, and there are plenty, may be upset by being being demoted and having to start the season in Wheeling, rather than at the American Hockey League level. What he really can't understand, though, is that some of those same players seem to think giving it half an effort is somehow going to force the Pittsburgh organization's hand.

Well, it just may. But not in the manner they're hoping.

''This is pro hockey. You play for your livelihood right here,'' he said. '''I've seen it happen before where the personnel that is in place isn't getting it done, then definitely there's some changes that are made.''

Just because these guys don't seem to get it doesn't mean the situation hasn't been drilled into their heads - not once or twice, but every day. Doull reports the progress of the Penguins-contracted players to both Wilkes-Barre coach Todd Reirden and Pittsburgh general manager Ray Shero after every game, and there hasn't been much good news coming out of the Wheelhouse these days. Assistant Pittsburgh general manager Jason Botterill was in town recently to talk to some of the younger players, and while I wasn't privy to that conversation it's becoming obvious the message didn't get through.

''I can't really figure that out,'' Doull said. ''Nobody is knocking on our door right now. And that goes for every player on this team who are available to all 30 NHL clubs or AHL teams looking to call players up.

''They look at the Northern Division as the go-to division to call up players - that's why players come here to play.

''They're looking at Wheeling right now and saying something is not right there and I think I'll pass, I think I'll move it along. I think I'll look at another team that is working well.''

If there are going to be changes they should be made immediately. Almost inconceivably the Nailers have fallen seven points behind division-leading Kalamazoo, being outscored by 11 goals in the process.

There's no magic cutoff line in terms of when the hole will become too large to escape, but Wheeling is navigating a very slippery slope already.

''What am I going to do? Am I going to complain, or am I going to help out - grab an oar?'' Doull asked hypothetically of his players. ''We've got to get to those guys that want to grab about 20 oars and go.

''I wish all of our guys had that fourth-line mentality. The best teams, their best players are the ones that are willing to play a smart, aggressive game.''

If only ...

Shawn Rine can be reached via e-mail at Rine@theintelligencer.net