Lyytinen Recalled to Milwaukee

The Atlanta Gladiators announced Thursday that the Nashville Predators of the NHL have reassigned defenseman Joonas Lyytinen to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL.

Lyytinen (Pronounced LOO-toe-NEN), 22, rejoins the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals after posting two points (1-1-2) and a plus-five rating in three games with Atlanta. The rookie to North American pro hockey has spent time this season with both the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL, as well as with the ECHL's Norfolk Admirals before his stint with the Glads. During his time with Norfolk, the Espoo, Finland native scored three goals and added one assist in five games. The six-foot, 173-pound defender has skated in seven games this season with Milwaukee after spending the previous three years with KalPa of the top Finnish hockey league, Liiga. The fifth round draft pick (132 overall) in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators posted his best numbers last season with KalPa amassing 24 points (8-16-24) in 54 games.

In a non-related transaction, forward Stephen Pierog has been released from his standard professional contract and will report back to Macon of the SPHL.

The Atlanta Gladiators 15th Anniversary season continues at the Infinite Energy Arena Friday, January 5th against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits 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 nation’s premier "AA" hockey league. All home games are played at the 10,867-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".

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