The Nashville Predators announced today that they have entered into an affiliation agreement with the Atlanta Gladiators of the ECHL. The Gladiators join the developmental pipeline for Nashville along with the AHL Milwaukee Admirals. Since the affiliate partnership with the Cincinnati Cyclones, which had been in place for 10 years, ended in 2017 Nashville has had difficulty finding a consistent partnership. The franchise partnered with the Norfolk Admirals in 2017 and 2018 then the Florida Everblades from 2019 to 2022. The Predators played the ’22-23 season without a direct ECHL affiliate. Per the release from the Nashville Predators PR staff:
“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.”
Brian Poile, Nashville Predators Assistant General Manager
The Atlanta Gladiators organization originated as the Mobile Mysticks in 1995. The team relocated the Atlanta metro area in 2002 and renamed their mascot to the Gladiators. The organization does have an interesting link to the Predators franchise as the original Nashville goalie, Mike Dunham, played for the Gladiators franchise. Former NHL player and current TNT analyst Anson Carter is part of the ownership group for the franchise. The ’22-23 Gladiators were led by center Cody Sylvester who finished the season with 38 goals and 86 points in 70 games.
Affiliate partnerships are important for NHL franchises to maintain a consistent development experience for its players. The timing of this affiliation is particularly relevant as the Predators are set to add a number of talented players into their North American pipeline. Also, the proximity of the Gladiators to the Nashville market should help generate interest between both franchises as fanbases travel between the two cities. Overall, the affiliation between the Predators and Gladiators looks to be a great fit and will be exciting to see the two teams work together in conjunction with the Milwaukee Admirals.
