Gwinnett Gladiators
Encyclopedia
The Gwinnett Gladiators are a professional minor league
ice hockey
team based in Duluth
, Georgia
. The Gladiators play in the South Division of the ECHL
's Eastern Conference. The Gladiators play their home games at the Arena at Gwinnett Center
.
The franchise originated as the Mobile Mysticks
in 1995. The team suspended operations in 2002 and moved to Duluth in 2003. They have qualified for the Kelly Cup
playoffs for six out of their eight seasons of play as the Gladiators. They were the South Division and Eastern Conference champions in 2006, falling one game to four to the Alaska Aces in the finals.
The Gladiators announced their affiliation with the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes
and their AHL
affiliate Portland Pirates
on August 17, 2011.. They later announced an affiliation agreement with the Buffalo Sabres
, and their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans
.
from 1995 to 2002. It suspended operations in 2002 following poor performance and declining attendance.
—who served as the team's head coach starting in 1998, when they were still the Mysticks—remained with the franchise.
The Gladiators made an appearance in the 2006 Kelly Cup Finals
, losing to the Alaska Aces in five games.
's Texas Stars
. The Gladiators announced on August 3 of that year that John Wroblewski
, former assistant coach for the Wheeling Nailers
, had been selected to take Pyle's place as the team's head coach.
and their AHL
affiliate Chicago Wolves
from their inception in 2003 until 2011, when the Thrashers franchise moved to Winnipeg
and the Gladiators left the organization. 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
.
Minor league
Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities. This term is used in North America with regard to several organizations competing in...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team based in Duluth
Duluth, Georgia
Duluth is a city in Gwinnett County, Georgia and an increasingly more affluent and developed suburb of Atlanta. Unincorporated portions of Forsyth County also have Duluth as a mailing address, though this area is outside city limits...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. The Gladiators play in the South Division of the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
's Eastern Conference. The Gladiators play their home games at the Arena at Gwinnett Center
Arena at Gwinnett Center
The Arena at Gwinnett Center is an indoor arena in Duluth, Georgia, United States. The arena was an expansion to the Gwinnett Center, which also includes a performing arts center and a convention center...
.
The franchise originated as the Mobile Mysticks
Mobile Mysticks
The Mobile Mysticks were a professional minor league ice hockey team based in Mobile, Alabama that played in the ECHL. They played their home games at the Mobile Civic Center. The team was founded in 1995 as an expansion franchise, joining the ECHL alongside the Louisville River Frogs and the...
in 1995. The team suspended operations in 2002 and moved to Duluth in 2003. They have qualified for the Kelly Cup
Kelly Cup
The Patrick J. Kelly Cup goes to the play-off champion of the ECHL. The Kelly Cup has been awarded to teams since 1997. Prior to 1997, the playoff winner was awarded the Riley Cup. The current cup is named after Patrick J. Kelly, the league's first commissioner. The cup is loaned to the winning...
playoffs for six out of their eight seasons of play as the Gladiators. They were the South Division and Eastern Conference champions in 2006, falling one game to four to the Alaska Aces in the finals.
The Gladiators announced their affiliation with the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
and their AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
affiliate Portland Pirates
Portland Pirates
The Portland Pirates is a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. They play in the Cumberland County Civic Center in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the...
on August 17, 2011.. They later announced an affiliation agreement with the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
, and their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
.
Inception
The franchise originated as the Mobile Mysticks who played in Mobile, AlabamaMobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
from 1995 to 2002. It suspended operations in 2002 following poor performance and declining attendance.
Birth of the Gladiators (Jeff Pyle, 2003–11)
The franchise moved to Gwinnett County in 2003 and was rebranded the Gladiators. Jeff PyleJeff Pyle (ice hockey)
Jeff Pyle is an American former ice hockey player. He is currently the head coach of the Texas Stars in the American Hockey League....
—who served as the team's head coach starting in 1998, when they were still the Mysticks—remained with the franchise.
The Gladiators made an appearance in the 2006 Kelly Cup Finals
Kelly Cup
The Patrick J. Kelly Cup goes to the play-off champion of the ECHL. The Kelly Cup has been awarded to teams since 1997. Prior to 1997, the playoff winner was awarded the Riley Cup. The current cup is named after Patrick J. Kelly, the league's first commissioner. The cup is loaned to the winning...
, losing to the Alaska Aces in five games.
New blood (John Wroblewski, 2011–present)
On July 13, 2011, Pyle was named head coach of the American Hockey LeagueAmerican Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
's Texas Stars
Texas Stars
The Texas Stars are an American Hockey League team. They play in Cedar Park, Texas, near Austin.The team is the top affiliate of the NHL Dallas Stars. In April 2008, the Iowa Stars announced that they would no longer affiliate with the Dallas Stars, and changed the team's name to Chops for the...
. The Gladiators announced on August 3 of that year that John Wroblewski
John Wroblewski
John Wroblewski is an American former ice hockey player. He is currently the head coach of the Gwinnett Gladiators in the ECHL....
, former assistant coach for the Wheeling Nailers
Wheeling Nailers
The Wheeling Nailers are an ECHL ice hockey team based in Wheeling, West Virginia. They are the ECHL affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Montreal Canadiens of the NHL and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL....
, had been selected to take Pyle's place as the team's head coach.
Affiliations
The Gladiators served as the ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Atlanta ThrashersAtlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
and their AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
affiliate Chicago Wolves
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois...
from their inception in 2003 until 2011, when the Thrashers franchise moved to Winnipeg
Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets were a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. They began play in the World Hockey Association in 1972, moving to the National Hockey League in 1979 following the collapse of the WHA...
and the Gladiators left the organization. The team also served as an affiliate for the Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
during the 2008–09 season and for the Columbus Blue Jackets
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
during the 2009–10 season.
On August 17, 2011 the Gladiators announced their affiliation with the Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
and the Portland Pirates
Portland Pirates
The Portland Pirates is a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. They play in the Cumberland County Civic Center in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the...
for the 2011–12 season. They later announced an affiliation agreement with the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
, and their AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
.
Recent seasons
This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Gladiators. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Gwinnett Gladiators seasons.Regular season
| Season | Games | Won | Lost | Tied | OTL | SOL | Points | Goals for | Goals against | Standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–07 | 72 | 41 | 24 | — | 5 | 2 | 89 | 289 | 256 | 3rd, South |
| 2007–08 | 72 | 44 | 23 | — | 2 | 3 | 93 | 247 | 198 | 3rd, South |
| 2008–09 2008–09 ECHL season The 2008-09 ECHL season was the 21st of the ECHL. The league welcomed one new franchise, the Ontario Reign, which will relocate from Beaumont, Texas and will play at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, CA. Two teams, the Columbia Inferno and the Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz, will voluntary... |
72 | 31 | 35 | — | 1 | 5 | 68 | 214 | 246 | 4th, South |
| 2009–10 2009–10 ECHL season The 2009–10 ECHL season was the 22nd season of the ECHL. It ran from October, 2009 until April, 2010, followed by the Kelly Cup playoffs which lasted until May 21, 2010 as the Cincinnati Cyclones won their second Kelly Cup championship in three years by defeating the Idaho Steelheads in five games... |
72 | 31 | 33 | — | 5 | 3 | 70 | 243 | 277 | 4th, South |
| 2010–11 2010–11 ECHL season The 2010–11 ECHL season is the 23rd season of the ECHL. The regular season schedule runs from October 15, 2010 to April 2, 2011. The Kelly Cup playoffs followed the regular season, with the first playoff game held on April 4, 2011, all the way to late May or early June... |
72 | 30 | 34 | — | 3 | 5 | 68 | 203 | 250 | 4th, South |
Playoffs
| Season | Prelim | 1st round | 2nd round | 3rd round | Finals | Kelly Cup Kelly Cup The Patrick J. Kelly Cup goes to the play-off champion of the ECHL. The Kelly Cup has been awarded to teams since 1997. Prior to 1997, the playoff winner was awarded the Riley Cup. The current cup is named after Patrick J. Kelly, the league's first commissioner. The cup is loaned to the winning... (2005–08 only) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–07 | — | — | L, 1–3, TX Texas Wildcatters The Texas Wildcatters, who took their name from Texas wildcatters, were an ECHL team based in Beaumont, Texas. They played their home games at the Ford Arena. They were the affiliate of the Florida Panthers in 2004–2005. The team played in Huntington, West Virginia and were known as the Huntington... |
— | — | — |
| 2007–08 | — | W, 3–0, CHR | L, 2–3, SC South Carolina Stingrays The South Carolina Stingrays are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in North Charleston, South Carolina. The Stingrays play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. They play their home games at the North Charleston Coliseum. The Carolina Ice Palace, also located in... |
— | — | — |
| 2008–09 2008–09 ECHL season The 2008-09 ECHL season was the 21st of the ECHL. The league welcomed one new franchise, the Ontario Reign, which will relocate from Beaumont, Texas and will play at the Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, CA. Two teams, the Columbia Inferno and the Myrtle Beach Thunderboltz, will voluntary... |
— | L, 1–4, FLA Florida Everblades The Florida Everblades are an ECHL ice hockey team playing in the Southeast Division. The team is based in Estero, Florida and plays at Germain Arena . The team has existed since 1998... |
— | — | — | — |
| 2009–10 2009–10 ECHL season The 2009–10 ECHL season was the 22nd season of the ECHL. It ran from October, 2009 until April, 2010, followed by the Kelly Cup playoffs which lasted until May 21, 2010 as the Cincinnati Cyclones won their second Kelly Cup championship in three years by defeating the Idaho Steelheads in five games... |
Out of playoffs | |||||
| 2010–11 2010–11 ECHL season The 2010–11 ECHL season is the 23rd season of the ECHL. The regular season schedule runs from October 15, 2010 to April 2, 2011. The Kelly Cup playoffs followed the regular season, with the first playoff game held on April 4, 2011, all the way to late May or early June... |
Out of playoffs | |||||
Current roster
| Title | Staff member |
|---|---|
| Head coach | John Wroblewski |
| Athletic trainer | Danielle Ellis |
| Equipment manager | Patrick Houlihan |
Memorable players
Played In NHL
- Cam BrownCam BrownRichard Cameron Brown is a former professional Canadian ice hockey left winger who played one game for the Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League....
(Vancouver CanucksVancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
) - Michael GarnettMichael GarnettMichael Garnett is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for Traktor Chelyabinsk of the Kontinental Hockey League...
(Atlanta ThrashersAtlanta ThrashersThe Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
) - Adam MunroAdam MunroAdam Munro is a professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for Szekesfehervar of the EBEL in Austria....
(Chicago BlackhawksChicago BlackhawksThe Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
) - Simon LajeunesseSimon LajeunesseSimon Lajeunesse is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played in one National Hockey League game for the Ottawa Senators during the 2001–02 NHL season.-Playing career:...
(Ottawa SenatorsOttawa SenatorsThe Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
) - Adam BerkhoelAdam BerkhoelAdam Berkhoel is a retired ice hockey goaltender. He was drafted 240th overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks.-Playing career:...
(Atlanta ThrashersAtlanta ThrashersThe Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
) - Mike DunhamMike DunhamMichael Dunham is a retired American professional ice hockey goaltender who is currently the goaltending coach for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
(Atlanta ThrashersAtlanta ThrashersThe Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
, New York RangersNew York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, New York IslandersNew York IslandersThe New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, New Jersey DevilsNew Jersey DevilsThe New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Nashville PredatorsNashville PredatorsThe Nashville Predators are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
) - Pascal PelletierPascal PelletierPascal Pelletier is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for SCL Tigers of the Swiss National League A...
(Boston Bruins) - Kevin DoellKevin DoellKevin Doell is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League.-Playing career:...
(Atlanta Thrashers) - Chris DurnoChris DurnoChristopher Scott Durno is a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He is currently playing for the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League while under contract to the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League ....
(Colorado AvalancheColorado AvalancheThe Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
)