ECHL: From Alabama to Atlanta, the Story of The Atlanta Gladiators Franchise

Mobile Mysticks

The Atlanta Gladiators franchise got its start as the Mobile Mysticks in 1995. The team would play its home games in the 31 year old Mobile Civic Center. The head coach for the inaugural season was former NHL player Ed Johnstone, who would also lead the Mysticks in their 1996-97 campaign. Johnstone would leave before the 1997-98 season after leading the Mysticks to their first ever playoff appearance. Matt Shaw would take over the team for one year leading the Mysticks to a 35-27-0-8 record and their second consecutive playoff appearance. For the last four years of the Mysticks existence, they were led by a very familiar name to Atlanta Gladiator fans, and that was Jeff Pyle. The Mysticks would go on to make the playoffs three times in a row before missing out in the final year of the franchise’s time in Mobile.

Gwinnett Gladiators

The Mysticks left Mobile after the 2001-02 season and moved 356 miles Northeast to Duluth, GA, a suburb of Atlanta. The move was due to declining attendance and not enough interest in the sport in general. The Gladiators, as they would become known as, would play their home games at Gas South Arena in Gwinnett County. Coach Pyle would also make the trip, becoming the Gladiator’s first head coach. He would have two stints with the team before becoming Director of Hockey Operations in 2023. The Gladiators would find success early, making the Kelly Cup Finals in just their third season in Duluth. They would lose in the final to the Alaska Aces 4-1. The Glads would be the affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers until the Thrashers left for Winnipeg in 2011. The Glads would go on to be the affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, and Ottawa Senators before agreeing to become the Nashville Predators ECHL affiliate starting in 2023.

Atlanta Gladitors

Before the 2015-16 season, the Gladiators rebranded as the Atlanta Gladiators. The move was in part to include all of the surrounding Atlanta area. The rebrand has not been as kind to the Glads with the team only making the playoffs twice since 2015. Former NHL star Anson Carter bought a minority stake in the team in 2022. Last season the Gladiators started hot, taking control of the South Division before the new year. They would fall off the pace and miss the playoffs but still finished with a very respectable 35-30-6-1 record. The Glads kick off the 2023-24 season on October 21st against their in-state rival Savannah Ghost Pirates.