Duluth, GA - The Atlanta Gladiators, proud ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Nashville Predators and the American Hockey League’s Milwaukee Admirals, announced on Tuesday via the team’s YouTube channel that the team has signed forward Connor Caponi for the 2026-27 season.

Caponi, 26, signs with the Gladiators for his second season of professional hockey and first in the ECHL. The 5’9”, 180-pound forward spent the 2025-26 campaign in the Elite Ice Hockey League with the Cardiff Devils, logging 3 assists in 35 regular season games. Caponi scored 1 goal in 4 postseason games, helping the Devils capture their fourth EIHL Playoff Championship. 

Prior to turning pro, Caponi played five seasons of NCAA Division I hockey at the University of Denver from 2020 to 2025. He is a 2x National Champion (2022, 2024) with the Pioneers and holds the program record for career games played (185). The Milwaukee, WI, native was named an alternate captain for his senior and graduate seasons; and was named the 2024-25 AHCA All-American Scholar, NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete, and is a five-time member of the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team. 

In his graduate season in 2024-25, Caponi scored 5 goals and 4 assists for 9 points in 42 games. His most productive season on the scoresheet came in 2023-24, in which he scored 5 goals and 9 assists for 14 points in 44 games en route to his second National Championship victory with the Pioneers. Caponi finished his collegiate career with 18 goals and 20 assists for 38 points in 185 games, all with the University of Denver. 

Gladiators Head Coach & Director of Hockey Operations, Matt Ginn, praised Caponi, saying, “Connor is a warrior and a winner. He has an incredibly high compete level and his contributions go beyond the score sheet. He has been a part of multiple championship teams and been a big part of those successes on and off the ice.” He continued to say, “Connor is a physical player that can change momentum, through finishing checks and doing little things to win games. We’re excited to add Connor to our group.”

Connor Caponi joins Max Neill as players who have signed with the Gladiators for the 2026-27 season.

The Gladiators are announcing player signings LIVE on the Atlanta Gladiators YouTube channel! Subscribe for exclusive content and stay up to date with the latest signings as the 2026-27 roster takes shape with live announcements on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:00 PM EST. 

The Gladiators open the 2026-27 campaign on October 17^th at Gas South Arena when they host the Norfolk Admirals! Secure your seats with a season ticket package by calling our sales hotline at 770-497-5100! 

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