Atlanta Trades for Skirving, Signs Two Forwards

DULUTH, Ga. – The Atlanta Gladiators have acquired forward Todd Skirving via trade from the Utah Grizzlies for future considerations and signed forwards Jake Trask and Daniel Gentzler from the SPHL’s Macon Mayhem.

Skirving, 25, has split time with the Utah Grizzlies and Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL this season. The Thunder Bay, ON native has notched two points (1-1-2) in six games for the Grizzlies and nine points (5-4-9) in 19 games with the Solar Bears. The rookie forward skated four full seasons for Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and earned 51 points (19-32-51) in 127 career games. The former captain of the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede set career highs in goals (6), assists (10) and points (16) in 39 games with the Tigers during his junior campaign in 2015-16.

Trask, 26, currently leads the SPHL’s Macon Mayhem in scoring with 44 points (17-27-44) in 35 games. The Saskatoon, SK native has appeared in 221 SPHL games over five seasons for Macon, Peoria and Louisiana amassing 200 total points (88-112-200) and helped the Mayhem to the SPHL championship last season. The 6-foot, 174-pound center has registered seven points (2-5-7) in 22 career ECHL games including two this season for the Wichita Thunder. Prior to turning pro, Trask appeared in 266 games in the WHL notching 161 points (76-85-161) with Saskatoon and Kamloops.

Gentzler, 27, is second on the Mayhem with 24 assists and fifth overall in points with 28 (4-24-28) in 30 games played. The third-year pro has accumulated 104 points (29-75-104) in 132 games with Macon. The Hermosa Beach, CA native has stints in the ECHL with Elmira, and Toledo over the last three seasons managing three assists in 14 total games. The Colgate University product most recently skated five games for the Toledo Walleye this year earning one helper. The Mayhem captain was also a member of the 2016-17 SPHL Presidents Cup Championship team in Macon posting six points (4-2-6) in seven playoff games.

In a non-related transaction, defenseman Ben Danford has been placed on the 21-day injured-reserve list.

The Atlanta Gladiators 15th Anniversary season continues at the Infinite Energy Arena Friday, February 16th against the Manchester Monarchs 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.

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