ECHL: Atlanta Gladiators Captain Eric Neiley Announces Retirement

Atlanta Gladiators captain Eric Neiley retires from professional hockey after an extraordinary ECHL career that spanned nine seasons and 344 games, during which he recorded 116 goals, 126 assists, and 242 points. The announcement came before the Gladiators’ final home game on April 6, when Neiley stepped onto the ice at Gas South Arena wearing the “C” one last time. And just days later, in his final game on the road, he recorded one last point—a quiet, perfect assist that felt like the punctuation mark to a career defined by leadership and heart.

As hockey writers, we see the stats and call it heart. We track the shifts and call it grit. We break down the box scores and call it drive. But the truth is, there’s something deeper—something we can’t chart or summarize. For the ones who play the game, it’s not about numbers or even recognition. It’s about that unwavering belief that the game itself is what matters. That it’s worth everything.

No one embodied that belief more than Eric Neiley.

After finishing his collegiate career at Dartmouth, where he notched 94 points (45 goals, 49 assists) in 129 games, Neiley signed with the Providence Bruins of the AHL in 2015. He appeared in seven games at the AHL level before finding his professional rhythm in the ECHL with the Atlanta Gladiators during the 2015–16 season—a team and a city that would become his hockey home.

From the moment he pulled on a Gladiators sweater, Eric Neiley gave everything he had to the game—and to Atlanta. Over the course of his ECHL career, including brief stops with Adirondack and Jacksonville, he tallied 242 points (116 goals, 126 assists) in 344 games, along with 423 penalty minutes. Neiley played with edge, with pride, and with the kind of intensity that made him unforgettable to teammates and impossible to ignore by opponents.

Neiley’s leadership wasn’t just felt—it was formally recognized. He was named an alternate captain multiple times throughout his tenure with the Gladiators, a reflection of the trust he earned in the locker room and the example he set on the ice. That steady presence and relentless drive ultimately led to him being named team captain, a role he wore with pride until the very end of his career.

His most prolific season came in 2021–22, when Neiley racked up 69 points (41 goals, 28 assists) in 67 games, leading the Gladiators in goals and establishing himself as one of the league’s most dangerous forwards. In 2024–25, he returned for one final run, adding 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) in 45 games—proof that even in his final year, Neiley’s presence still changed the outcome of every game he played.

After the 2022–23 season—one in which he posted 44 points in 50 games—Eric Neiley stepped away from playing and moved behind the bench as the Gladiators’ Assistant Head Coach for 2023–24. But some flames don’t fade—they just wait for one more spark. When the opportunity came to return for one last ride, he took it. Because unfinished business calls to the ones who care the most.

Named team captain to start the 2024–25 season, Eric Neiley led the Atlanta Gladiators through what would become his final year on the ice—a season marked not only by leadership, but by legacy. It wasn’t just a comeback—it was a campaign full of milestones and meaning. On January 20, he reached 150 career goals, 150 career assists, and 300 career points—hallmarks of a player who didn’t just endure in this league but thrived in it. Just five days later, on January 25, 2025, Neiley suited up for his 300th career game as a Gladiator, celebrated by fans and teammates alike.

It was a farewell tour wrapped in both grit and grace. A full-circle moment. One more year to lead with the “C” stitched to his chest. One final chance to show his young son what it means to skate with pride, play with heart, and lead with everything you’ve got. And Eric Neiley did just that.

When the final horn sounded on April 6, it was more than just an end—it was a tribute. Every fan in the building stood. Every player—teammate and opponent alike—showed their respect. Because Eric Neiley wasn’t just a player. He was the heartbeat of this team, the soul of this locker room, and the kind of person every franchise hopes they’ll be lucky enough to call their own.

Then came the moment that no one will forget.

After the game, Neiley was called back onto the ice for a special interview. But before a single word was spoken, every member of the Atlanta Gladiators returned to the bench—some with sticks in hand, all with gear still on—not to play, but to be with their captain. To honor him, side by side, just as they always had. They didn’t have to say anything. Their presence said it all. That this man mattered. That this team would never be the same without him. That sometimes, the greatest moments in hockey aren’t about goals—they’re about gratitude.

And though Atlanta had already said goodbye, Neiley played one final game on the road, alongside the team he helped define. On April 12 against the Florida Everblades, he recorded one last assist—a crisp setup on Jackson Pierson’s first-period goal. A final contribution. One last perfect pass. Proof that even in the last shifts of a career, Eric Neiley was still doing what he always did: showing up, making it count, and giving everything for the crest on his chest and to the teammates that shared it.

A captain. A coach. A competitor. A legacy.

Eric Neiley didn’t just play the game. He defined what it means to believe in it.