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 103 during his tenure. Additionally, he is seventh in total assists with 95 and fifth in points with 198. This past season he played in 50 games with the team, putting up 25 goals with 19 assists – earning 44 points. In addition to his time with the Gladiators, Neiley has played for both the Adirondack Thunder and Jacksonville Icemen. Neiley also skated for the American Hockey League (AHL) as a member of the Providence Bruins.
The Atlanta Gladiators will not lose Neiley’s talents, however. The team has announced that Neiley will transition to a new role as the Gladiators’ Assistant Coach for the upcoming 2023-2024 Season. In the team’s press release today, Neiley stated that he now considers Atlanta home, adding that though [he’ll] “miss putting on that jersey,” [he] couldn’t be more excited to start his new journey” as an assistant coach.
Head Coach, Derek Nesbitt, is also looking forward to having Neiley join the coaching staff. Nesbitt added, “The only reason he is finished playing is because of how hard he played. Plain and simple, and that’s honorable. He has put his body on the line night in and night out for this organization for five seasons and has always been committed to the team’s success”.
Neiley and Nesbitt already have a solid working relationship, having previously been teammates on the ice, but both are looking forward to coaching together. Neiley said, “We both want nothing more than to bring a championship to Atlanta, and we will continue to strive for that, just now, from behind the bench.” Head Coach Derek Nesbitt and Assistant Coach Eric Neiley will lead the Gladiators against the Savanah Ghost Pirates on October 21, 2023, at home.
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