Nesbitt Returns for 16-17

The Atlanta Gladiators announced Thursday that veteran forward Derek Nesbitt has agreed to terms with the organization for the 2016-2017 season. With the announcement, the Gladiators begin the building of their roster with a Team Captain already in place. Nesbitt, named to the pivotal role last season, will continue his captaincy in the upcoming year. The leadership that he [Nesbitt] brings to our group is something that can often be overlooked, said Gladiators Head Coach Andy Brandt. You look at his resume and his credentials, and for him to lead this group is important for us on a number of levels. Having started his professional career with the Gladiators, Nesbitt returned to the team for the 2015-2016 season, bringing with him 10 years of AHL and ECHL experience. The Ontario native appeared in all 72 games last season, finishing the year first on the Gladiators in points with 28 goals and 34 assists. Over the course of his career, the 6-foot, 195-pound forward has appeared in 372 AHL-level contests, racking up 104 goals and 121 assists for 225 total points, and 283 ECHL-level games with 302 points earned. I didnt return to the Gladiators to just play for a year, said Nesbitt. I plan to keep playing as long I can continue to produce and play my game. If we can continue to make things better here, I want to be a part of that. The Atlanta Gladiators 14th season kicks off at the Infinite Energy Arena on Friday, October 14th against the Toledo Walleye at 7:35 PM. For ticket information, visit the official team website at www.atlantagladiators.com or call the main office line at 770-497-5100.The Gladiators are members of the ECHL, the nations premier AA hockey league. All home games are played at the 11,355-seat Infinite Energy Arena, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth where parking is always free. The Gladiators have established an unrivaled commitment to excellence, maintaining a distinctive reputation for affordable and family-friendly sports entertainment and consistently ranked as one of the top Things To Do in the Atlanta area and across the North Georgia region.For all the latest team news, contests, and more visit AtlantaGladiators.com, or like the Gladiators on Facebook (www.facebook.com/AtlantaGladiators), follow the team on Twitter (www.twitter.com/ATLGladiators), Instagram (www.instagram.com/atlgladiators) or Snapchat (www.snapchat.com) at gladshockey . -###-