Atlanta Gladiators

History

Birth of the Gladiators

The franchise originated as the Mobile Mysticks who played in Mobile, Alabama, from 1995 to 2002. It suspended operations in 2002 due to declining attendance. After a year off, Toby Jeffreys, the owner of the Mysticks, relocated his franchise to Gwinnett County, Georgia, in 2003 and was rebranded the Gwinnett Gladiators. He then sold minority stakes of the franchise to local business owners to create Gwinnett County Hockey, LLC. Jeff Pyle—who served as the Mysticks' head coach starting in 1998—returned to the franchise for their first season.

The Gladiators made an appearance in the 2006 Kelly Cup Finals, losing to the Alaska Aces in five games.

On July 13, 2011, Pyle was named head coach of the American Hockey League's Texas Stars. The Gladiators announced on August 3, 2011, that John Wroblewski, former assistant coach for the Wheeling Nailers, had been selected to take Pyle's place as the team's head coach. The Gladiators won the ECHL South Division in the two years of Wrobelski's tenure.

On August 7, 2013, Wroblewski was hired by the AHL's Rochester Americans as an assistant coach. Rick Emmett, a former defenseman for the Gladiators, took over as head coach.

Emmett was relieved of his duties as head coach on December 2, 2014. At the time, assistant coach, and former Gladiator captain, Andy Brandt was named the interim head coach. Brandt would remain the interim head coach through the remainder of the 2014–15 season before being named to head coach on March 21, 2015. Former Valpellice Bulldogs head coach Mike Flanagan also joined the coaching staff in December 2014, serving as the team's assistant coach.

Rebranding as Atlanta Gladiators

Following the 2014–15 season, the Gladiators became the affiliate of the Boston Bruins and their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins. On September 9, 2015, the Gladiators organization announced that they would be known as the Atlanta Gladiators to expand their brand to include the entire Atlanta metropolitan area. As part of the name change, the Gladiators updated their “primary” and “wordmark” logos to reflect the Atlanta designation. The rest of the Gladiators logos remained the same, as did the team colors.

After two seasons as head coach, Andy Brandt left to take the associate coaching position with St. Norbert College in 2017. The Gladiators would then hire two-time Kelly Cup winning coach Chuck Weber as his replacement.

During the 2017–18 season, the franchise was purchased by Virginia-based ownership group called Danor Vienna LLC, headed by real estate developer P. Daniel Orlich. Head coach Weber left after one season to take an assistant coaching position with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) NCAA Div. I men's team in order to be closer to home. Jeff Pyle was then brought back as head coach and general manager after leaving for the AHL in 2011.

In 2019, the Gladiators updated their primary colors from garnet and black to navy blue and gold.

On October 1, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Gladiators enacted the ECHL's COVID-19 voluntary suspension policy and opted out of playing in the 2020–21 season. The team announced they would return to play in the 2021–22 season.

Prior to the start of the 2022–23 season on October 19, 2022, ownership of the team was transferred to ATL Hockey Group, LLC, led by businessman Alex Campbell with former NHL player and NHL on TNT commentator Anson Carter holding a minority stake. On November 7, 2022, the Gladiators unveiled plans to take on the identity of the former Atlanta Thrashers for a single game on December 16 against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.

On June 6, 2023, the Gladiators announced former team captain Derek Nesbitt as the sixth head coach in team history. Jeff Pyle, who had served as the team's head coach for the previous four seasons, was promoted to Director of Hockey Operations for the club.

On May 7, 2025, the Gladiators announced assistant coach Matt Ginn as the seventh head coach in team history, as well as Director of Hockey Operations for the club. Derek Nesbitt, who had served as the team's head coach for the previous two seasons, was promoted to Director of Community Engagement for the club.

Affiliations

The Gladiators served as the ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers and their AHL affiliate Chicago Wolves from their inception in 2003 until 2011, when the Thrashers franchise moved to Winnipeg and the Gladiators ended their affiliation with the franchise. The team also served as an affiliate for the Chicago Blackhawks during the 2008–09 season and for the Columbus Blue Jackets during the 2009–10 season.

On August 17, 2011, the Gladiators announced their affiliation with the Phoenix Coyotes and the Portland Pirates for the 2011–12 season. They later announced an affiliation agreement with the Buffalo Sabres, and their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. That affiliation lapsed at the end of the 2011–12 season, leaving the Gladiators affiliated exclusively with Phoenix for the 2012–13 season. The Gladiators would carry that affiliation through the end of the 2014–15 season.

On August 6, 2015, the Gladiators announced a two-year affiliation deal with the Boston Bruins and their AHL affiliate, the Providence Bruins. In February 2017, the Gladiators and Bruins extended their affiliation for another two seasons and then added fifth season for 2019–20. In 2021, the Bruins switched their ECHL affiliation to the Maine Mariners and the Gladiators affiliated with the Ottawa Senators.

On August 25, 2022, the Gladiators became the ECHL affiliate for the Arizona Coyotes for the second time.

On June 6, 2023, the Gladiators became the ECHL affiliate for the NHL's Nashville Predators and AHL's Milwaukee Admirals.

Season-by-season record

• §The ECHL used an unbalanced playoff format from the 1998–99 season to the 2003–04 season and again from the 2005–06 season to the 2007–08 season which resulted in five rounds.

Players

Notable players

• Matt Anderson
• Adam Berkhoel
• Cam Brown
• Kevin Doell
• Louis Domingue
• Mike Dunham
• Chris Durno

• Patrick Dwyer
• Ryan Garbutt
• Michael Garnett
• Simon Lajeunesse
• Mike Lee
• Adam Munro
• Derek Nesbitt
• Pascal Pelletier
• Daniel Vladar

References

References

1. (October 19, 2022). "BOARD OF GOVERNORS APPROVES TRANSFER OF CONTROLLING INTEREST IN ATLANTA". ECHL.
2. (September 9, 2015). "Glads Become ATL Gladiators". Atlanta Gladiators.
3. (May 16, 2003). "Local Businessmen Join Gladiators Ownership Group".
4. Press release. (July 13, 2011). "Gwinnett's Pyle named head coach of AHL's Texas Stars". [[ECHL]].
5. Press release. (August 3, 2011). "Wroblewski named Gladiators head coach". [[ECHL]].
6. (August 7, 2013). "Emmett Named Head Coach". Gwinnett Gladiators.
7. "Official Website - Gwinnett Gladiators".
8. "Official Website - Gwinnett Gladiators".
9. "Official Website - Gwinnett Gladiators".
10. (August 6, 2015). "Bruins and Gwinnett Gladiators Enter into ECHL Affiliation Relationship". [[Boston Bruins]].
11. "Official Website - Atlanta Gladiators".
12. "Gwinnett Gladiators history, Atlanta Gladiators history".
13. (August 25, 2017). "Atlanta Gladiators name Chuck Weber head coach".
14. (March 20, 2018). "Atlanta Gladiators sold to Virginia-based businessman". [[Gwinnett Daily Post]].
15. (June 5, 2018). "Atlanta Gladiators in search of new head coach after Chuck Weber resignation". Gwinnett Daily Post.
16. (July 6, 2018). "Atlanta Gladiators bring back winningest coach in franchise history". Gwinnett Daily Post.
17. (July 13, 2018). "Gladiators Name Jeff Pyle as Head Coach".
18. (August 6, 2019). "The New Look Atlanta Gladiators".
19. "Glad enact COVID voluntary suspension of season". October 1, 2020.
20. (October 9, 2020). "ECHL confirms start date for 2020-21 season".
21. (November 7, 2022). "ECHL’s Atlanta Gladiators to use Thrashers name, jersey in game".
22. (June 6, 2023). "Nesbitt Takes Over as Atlanta Head Coach".
23. (May 7, 2025). "Gladiators Name Matt Ginn Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations".
24. Michael Wagner. (December 28, 2008). "Chicago Blackhawks Name Gwinnett Gladiators Their New ECHL Affiliate". bleacherreport.com.
25. Bart Logan. (August 25, 2009). "Blue Jackets & Gladiators Become ECHL affiliates". firethecannon.com.
26. Press release. (August 17, 2011). "Glads sign affiliation agreement with Phoenix". Gwinnett Gladiators.
27. Press Release. (September 20, 2011). "Second Affiliate Added". Gwinnett Gladiators.
28. Press release. (August 7, 2012). "Glads back with Phoenix". Gwinnett Gladiators.
29. (February 15, 2017). "Gladiators Extend Affiliation Agreement with Boston Bruins". Atlanta Gladiators.
30. (August 15, 2019). "Gladiators Re-Up with Eastern Conference Champs".
31. (August 9, 2021). "GLADIATORS ANNOUNCE AFFILIATION WITH OTTAWA SENATORS".
32. (August 25, 2022). "Coyotes Announce New ECHL Affiliation Agreement with Atlanta Gladiators".
33. (June 6, 2023). "Predators Enter Affiliation Agreement with ECHL's Atlanta Gladiators".