Author: Karen Zehner

Inside The Rink ECHL Manager | Senior Editor | Credentialed Beat Writer covering the ECHL Atlanta Gladiators. Diving into the world of slap shots, penalty kills, and the game we love. [@RunwithK] on socials.

ECHL: History of the Wheeling Nailers

You may wonder how the Wheeling Nailers hockey team began and just where their team’s unique name came from. The Wheeling Nailers, now based in Wheeling, West Virginia, are the oldest minor league franchise that exists below the level of the American Hockey League (AHL). The team, founded in 1981 as the Carolina Thunderbirds in […]

Michael Del Zotto Retires From Professional Hockey

Michael Del Zotto has announced his retirement from professional hockey after 13 seasons in the National Hockey League. Del Zotto had been selected No. 20 overall in the 2008 NHL Draft, making his debut in 2009 when he stepped onto the ice with the New York Rangers at the age of 19. At that time, […]

ECHL: Eric Neiley Embraces a New Challenge as Assistant Coach for the Atlanta Gladiators

Eric Neiley announced yesterday that he will be retiring from professional hockey. Neiley has played several seasons for the Gladiators, and his impact on the team is evident. In all, Neiley played in a total of 265 games with the Gladiators over the last five years. He is their second all-time leader in goals, scoring […]

ECHL: Meet Alex Whelan, the Newest Addition to Atlanta Gladiators’ Forward Line

The Atlanta Gladiators recently announced the addition of Alex Whelan to their 2023-2024 roster. Whelan may be familiar to some after playing for the Jacksonville IceMen last season, where he tallied two goals and two assists for four points in just three games with the team. Whelan played in a total of 42 games in […]

The Atlanta Gladiators’ Roster Gets a Boost: Zach Yoder Stays Put, Adam Samuelsson Joins the Squad

The Atlanta Gladiators have announced the signing Zach Yoder and Adam Samuelsson to contracts for the 2023-2024 Season. Zach Yoder of Woodstock, GA, and local favorite will enter his third season with the Atlanta Gladiators. Yoder has played a total of 125 games since joining the team. Yoder has since demonstrated that he is a […]

Added to the Atlanta Gladiators Roster: Jackson Pierson and Anthony Firriolo

Forward Jackson Pierson and defenseman Anthony Firriolo signed with the Atlanta Gladiators earlier today for the 2023-24 season. They join the recent additions of Dylan Carabia, Brayden Crowder, Ryan Crawford, Evan Dougherty, Tyler Harmon, Mitch Fossier, Cody Sylvester, and Mitch Walinski, who also have signed on with the Gladiators for the upcoming season. Pierson attended […]

Dylan Carabia and Brayden Crowder Re-Sign with the Atlanta Gladiators

The Atlanta Gladiators announced today that they have re-signed two defensemen to the 2023-24 roster, Brayden Crowder and Dylan Carabia. They join the recent signings of teammates Cody Sylvester, Mitch Walinski and Tyler Harmon. Through both are still relatively new to the team, Carabia since April 2022 and Crowder only since March 2023, they have […]

From Lucky Socks to Pre-Game Meals: Hockey Fan Superstitions

Professional athletes have rather interesting rituals, which have long been documented and discussed throughout the years. Fans that follow professional hockey at any level of play seem to take their rituals and superstitions to a completely different realm. We hold firm to the idea that our choices will have a direct and lasting impact on […]