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 re-signed defenseman Brendan Less for the 2026-27 season.

Less, 28, returns to Atlanta for his second season with the club after being acquired by the Gladiators via trade with the Adirondack Thunder last summer. The 6’1”, 180-pound defenseman recorded 4 goals and 14 assists for 18 points in 57 games with Atlanta last season, finishing with the third most points among Gladiators defensemen. His +26 rating in the 2025-26 season was the third best +/- ever recorded by a Gladiator in a single season, behind only Jim Jackson (+34 in 2003-04) and Brad Schell (+32 in 2005-06). 

Less has over 180 games of ECHL experience under his belt, having spent time with Worcester, Iowa, Adirondack, and Atlanta over the last five seasons, logging 7 goals and 49 assists for 56 points in 180 career regular-season ECHL games, as well as 20 career Kelly Cup Playoff games. Less also appeared in one AHL game with the Syracuse Crunch in the 2024-25 season.

The native of Kinnelon, NJ, spent four years playing NCAA Division I hockey at Dartmouth College from 2017-2021 prior to playing at Quinnipiac for the 2021-22 season. In 125 NCAA games, Less notched 6 goals and 30 assists. After completing his college career, he joined the Worcester Railers to end the 2021-22 season.

“Lesser [Less] was a huge part of our D core and dressing room last year,” said Gladiators’ Head Coach & Director of Hockey Operations, Matt Ginn. “He had a very calming and steadying presence that was important for our young team. He is a smooth skating D that has a good stick and closes time and space very well,” he said. “We’re very fortunate to bring Lesser back and expect him to play a big role again this season in helping us get to where we want to be.”

Brendan Less joins Max Neill, Connor Caponi, Kyle Pow, Anthony Cipollone, Joey Cipollone, Jack Blake, Stephen Calisti, Ryan Nolan, Kirklan Irey, Sam Tremblay, Mickey Burns, Ethan Strang, Corson Hopwo, Andrew Jarvis, Josh Winquist, Mike McNamee, Branden Troock, Mason Ward, and Ryan Conroy 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, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 6:00 PM Eastern. 

The Gladiators home opener is set for October 17^th at Gas South Arena at 7:10 PM! Single game tickets are available HERE, or secure your seats with a season ticket package by calling our sales hotline at 770-497-5100! 

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