Five Added to Preseason Roster on PTOs

DULUTH, Ga. – The Atlanta Gladiators announced Friday that they have signed forwards Hunter Stewart, Matt Harrington, Justin Greenberg, Tyler Howe and defenseman Brandon McMartin to professional try-out contracts.

“This is an above average batch of training camp try-out players,” said Head Coach and General Manager of Hockey Operations Jeff Pyle. “We have a solid lineup already signed, but I’m not afraid of keeping try-out players after camp if they make a solid impression and can help us win. I’ve done it before and I’ll do it again if they show they can bring more to the lineup than players already inked.”

Stewart, 24, skated eight games and earned eight points (4g-4a) with the SPHL’s Evansville Thunderbolts under Coach Pyle at the end of last season after completing a four-year career at the NCAA DIII’s Marian University. The Calgary, AB native set colligate highs in goals (12) and points (36) in 29 games played at Marion last year. In 108 total games for the Sabres, the 6-foot, 190-pound forward registered 108 points (28g, 80a).

Harrington, 27, appeared in 56 games for the Mississippi RiverKings of the SPHL during the 2017-18 campaign and grossed 28 points (11g, 17a). The North Port, FL native has posted five points (2g, 3a) in 23 career ECHL games for Wheeling, Alaska and Florida. The sixth-year pro has spent majority of the last five seasons with the RiverKings totaling 177 points (75g, 102a) in 280 games.

Greenberg, 24, enters his second pro campaign after posting 36 points (12g, 24a) in 35 regular season games and six points (3g, 3a) in seven playoff contests for the SPHL’s Peoria Rivermen last year. The Dallas, TX native amassed 29 points in 127 games over the course of four seasons for the NCAA’s University of Miami (Ohio). The 5-foot-8, 172-pound forward won the Robertson Cup with NAHL’s Texas Tornado in 2011-12.

Howe, 27, notched seven points (3g, 4a) and 80 penalty minutes in 41 games for the Knoxville Ice Bears of the SPHL. The 6-foot-6, 229-pound forward has five seasons of professional hockey experience in the FHL, SPHL and LNAH. The Falmouth, MA native has accumulated 296 penalty minutes in 116 pro games in his career.

McMartin, 25, spent the last four years split between SUNY-Brockport and SUNY-Canton in the NCAA DIII. In 69 colligate games, the Toronto, ON native managed 35 points (7g, 28a). Last season in Brockport, the 6-foot-2, 220-pound defenseman scored a career high 11 points (3g, 8a) in 24 games.

“Don’t be surprised if one of these guys cracks the lineup,” said Pyle. “I’m expecting big things from this group whether it’s opening night or a mid-season call-up. We are in a good situation either way with this bunch.”

2018-19 ROSTER AS OF 8/17

SIGNED TO SPC:

F: Derek Nesbitt

F: Branden Troock

F: Darby Llewellyn

F: Luke Sandler

F: Louick Marcotte

F: Alex Carrier

F: Austin McKay

F: Todd Skirving

F: Justin MacDonald

D: Kevin Montgomery

D: Ben Danford

D: Zach Malatesta

D: Jack Stander

D: Vytal Cote

SIGNED TO PTO:

F: Hunter Stewart

F: Justin Greenberg

F: Tyler Howe

F: Matt Harrington

D: Brandon McMartin

The 16th season of Atlanta Gladiators hockey begins at the Infinite Energy Arena on Friday, October 19th 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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