Gladiators enter affiliation agreement with Nashville Predators

DULUTH, Ga. – Atlanta Gladiators majority owner Alex Campbell announced that starting in the 2023-24 season, the Atlanta Gladiators will serve as the ECHL affiliate for the National Hockey League’s Nashville Predators and American Hockey League's Milwaukee Admirals. The Gladiators were affiliated with the Arizona Coyotes this past season.

"We are very proud to bring in the Nashville Predators and Milwaukee Admirals as affiliation partners. With the Predators being the closest NHL team to Gwinnett, we wanted to bring our fans closer than ever to our affiliation partner," Campbell said. "I would like to thank Brian Poile, and everybody at the Predators, for welcoming the Gladiators into their family with open arms. We are thrilled that the road to SMASHVILLE begins in Atlanta, and we cannot wait for what the future holds for both of our esteemed organizations."

“We are excited to welcome a strong organization in the Atlanta Gladiators to the Predators family as our new ECHL affiliate, extending our developmental pipeline through our longstanding AHL affiliate in Milwaukee,” Predators Assistant General Manager/Director of Hockey Operations Brian Poile said. “The Gladiators have been a model of consistency in the ECHL for more than 25 years and are well positioned to reach new heights on and off the ice under the leadership team of Head Coach Derek Nesbitt; Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Pyle; the ATL Hockey Group led by Alex Campbell and Anson Carter; and Bob Ohrablo. With Nashville just a short drive from the Atlanta area, this partnership will help both franchises continue to expand their presence in the southern professional hockey landscape, and we’re looking forward to seeing our two passionate fanbases cheer each other on.”