Nesbitt returns for ninth season with Gladiators

DULUTH, Ga. – The Atlanta Gladiators announced forward and team captain Derek Nesbitt will return for his ninth season with the organization.

Nesbitt is native of Seaforth, Ontario. He played at Ferris State University before joining the Gladiators for the first time in 2005. He compiled a 69-point rookie season that helped carry the organization to the Kelly Cup Finals in the summer of 2006.

The 38-year-old has played in 550 career regular-season ECHL games - which is tied for 23rd in ECHL history - with 468 coming in a Gladiators sweater. He has tallied 148 goals with Atlanta, including his 300th professional goal in January of this year. He enters the 2020-21 season with 487 career ECHL points, and needs 13 points to become just the 30th player in league history to reach the 500-point plateau.

Nesbitt also has extensive experience outside of the ECHL, playing in 372 games in the American Hockey League and 53 games overseas with Italian club HC Bolzano.