SHREWSBURY, N.J. – The ECHL announced on Wednesday that former Gladiators forward and all-time leading goal, assist, and point scorer, Derek Nesbitt, will be inducted into the ECHL Hall of Fame as a member of the 2027 Hall of Fame Class alongside Matt Hendricks and Jeff Jakaitis. 

The 2027 ECHL Hall of Fame ceremony, presented by BFL CANADA and Sutton Special Risk, will take place at 5:00 p.m. MT on Tuesday, January 27, 2027 at the Grove Hotel Ballroom. 

The three will be formally inducted as the 19th class of the ECHL Hall of Fame at a banquet that will be held in conjunction with the 2027 Warrior/ECHL All-Star Classic presented by Project Filter.

Derek Nesbitt played 11 of his 17 professional seasons in the ECHL, reaching the 20-goal mark four times, and recording 538 points (207g-331a) in 615 games with Atlanta, Idaho and Toledo. Out of his 207 goals, 35 were game winners, which is tied for the 17^th most in ECHL history. He reached the Kelly Cup Finals in each of his first two pro seasons - with the Gladiators in 2006 and Steelheads in 2007 - claiming a championship with Idaho while also representing the team in the 2007 ECHL All-Star Classic in Boise. 

Nesbitt played almost exclusively in the American Hockey League, along with a season in Austria, from 2007-15, before returning to the ECHL with Atlanta in 2015-16, where he played his final six seasons as the team’s captain. He ranks 26th in ECHL history in assists and points, tied for 27th in goals and 16th in games played. 

Nine of Nesbitt’s eleven seasons in the ECHL were spent with the Gladiators organization. He is the Gladiators’ all-time leader in goals (166), assists (258), points (424), power play goals (52), shorthanded goals (8), game winning goals (27), and games played (512). His #17 was retired by the Gladiators organization following his retirement and is one of three numbers retired by the team, along with 2010 ECHL Hall of Fame inductee Cam Brown’s #44 and former forward Andy Brandt’s #41. 

Throughout the course of his career, Nesbitt has frequently made community appearances and charitable contributions, helping grow the game of hockey in the Atlanta metro area. He frequently made visits to hospitals and schools, becoming one of the faces of hockey in the community that has lasted into his post-playing career. He has ran hockey camps, clinics, and given lessons in the Atlanta metro area since his debut in 2006 and continues to do so to this day.

Following his retirement, Nesbitt was the Gladiators’ head coach for two seasons (2023-25) before transitioning to a front office role and enters his second season as team’s Director of Community Engagement. 

Along with Nesbitt, former Gladiators goaltender Jeff Jakaitis has been named to the 2027 Hall of Fame Class. Jakaitis spent one of his eight seasons in the ECHL with the Gladiators, posting a 17-6-2 record with a 2.03 GAA, a .930 SV% and 5 shutouts, winning the 2011-12 Nick Vitucci Goaltender of the Year Award. He is the only goaltender in franchise history to win the award. 

The Atlanta Gladiators organization will be honoring and recognizing Derek Nesbitt for this incredible achievement on January 31, 2027 when the Gladiators take on the Florida Everblades at 3:10 PM with a pregame ceremony and a themed giveaway. More details will be announced at a later date, tickets for the game are available for purchase HERE.

The inaugural ECHL Hall of Fame class was inducted in 2008, and over the years, 71 individuals have been enshrined. Inductees are enshrined in the ECHL Hall of Fame, which is open around the clock online at ECHLHallOfFame.com, as well as being recognized at the league office in Shrewsbury, New Jersey and in the ECHL section at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Ontario.

The third-longest tenured professional hockey league, behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, the Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League has grown from five teams in four states in 1988-89 into a coast-to-coast league with 30 teams in 23 states and one Canadian province for its 39th season in 2026-27. 

Hall of Fame members are selected in five categories: Player, Coach, Developmental Player, Builder, and Referee/Linesman. No more than five candidates may be elected to the ECHL Hall of Fame each year with no more than three Players, one Coach, one Developmental Player, two Builders and one Referee/Linesman. The Coach, Developmental Player, Builder and the Referee/Linesman categories are dependent upon the number of candidates in the Player category. 

The nomination and/or selection of candidates will be determined by the Hall of Fame Selection Committee and its Chairmen, Joe Ernst and Patrick J. Kelly. 

Only members of the Selection Committee, the Board of Governors, teams or persons affiliated with the ECHL may submit official nominations which must be made in writing to the league office. Fans are encouraged to contact their team to propose names for nomination.