The Atlanta Gladiators announced Thursday that the professional ice hockey club has signed a two-year extension to continue as the ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Nashville Predators.
Atlanta was initially affiliated with the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers from 2003 until 2011, when the franchise relocated to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Following the Thrashers’ departure from the NHL, the Gladiators have partnered with the Arizona Coyotes (2011-15, 2022-23), Boston Bruins (2015-18), Ottawa Senators (2021-22) and the Nashville Predators (2023-present).
“The Nashville Predators and Milwaukee Admirals have been terrific affiliates the last two years,” said Alex Campbell, owner of the Gladiators. “We’re proud to extend our partnership through the 2026-27 season, and I look forward to continued success for the Predators, the Admirals and the Gladiators.”
Since joining forces with Nashville and Milwaukee prior to the 2023-24 season, Atlanta has had 11 players join the club under either an American Hockey League or National Hockey League contract, further adding to the developmental pipeline between all three teams. This season, the Gladiators have benefited from additions such as defenseman Jeremy Hanzel (48GP-3G-15A), forward Alexander Campbell (3GP-2G-2A) and first-year goaltender Ethan Haider, a former fifth-round selection of the Nashville Predators in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft (29GP, 16-11-1, 3 SO).
The Predators are led by head coach Andrew Brunette, who played for the ECHL’s Hampton Roads Admirals during the 1993-94 season. Since taking the helm, Brunette has guided Nashville to a record of 72-62-12. Additionally, forward Cole Smith who now has over 200 games of NHL experience, began his professional career with the ECHL’s Florida Everblades.
The Predators currently sit in seventh place in the NHL’s Central Division, with a record of 25-32-7, for 57 points. This past season, Nashville qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, finishing as a Wild Card team in the consistently competitive Western Conference.
“We are excited to keep the Atlanta Gladiators as part of the Predators family moving forward,” Predators general manager Barry Trotz said. “We’ve been fortunate enough to reap the benefits of having a longstanding AHL affiliate in Milwaukee, and we are hoping that our partnership with Atlanta will blossom into something similar. The proximity between our two teams offers us the chance to further expand the game of hockey in the South, with two strong, passionate fan bases cheering us on.
“I’d like to thank the Gladiators organization, including the ATL Hockey Group, led by Alex Campbell, for their leadership and commitment to making this relationship even stronger in the coming years.”
Over the years, Nashville has partnered with several teams, including the Hampton Roads Admirals (1998-00), New Orleans Brass (2000-01), Cincinnati Cyclones (2001-02, 07-17), Toledo Storm (2003-04), Norfolk Admirals (2017-18), the Florida Everblades (2019-22) and most recently the Gladiators (2023-present).
“We’re extremely excited to be extending our affiliation with the Nashville Predators organization,” Gladiators executive vice president Jared Youngman said. “This decision solidifies our commitment to long-term success, and strengthens our collaboration with our NHL and AHL partners, ensuring we stay focused on excellence both on and off the ice.”
