Gladiators Unveil 'Atlanta Hockey Heritage' Third Jersey

DULUTH, Ga. – The Atlanta Gladiators have unveiled the team’s new third jersey that pays homage all the professional hockey teams that have played in Atlanta.

“We hear from fans all the time suggesting we honor past Atlanta pro hockey teams, so we figured why not do it all at once and embrace the rich hockey history this area has in one jersey,” said the jersey’s designer and Director of Communications and Broadcasting Chris Treft. “Past Atlanta hockey teams have had some iconic jersey designs that still live on today. We just put those designs together as one to unite the city’s hockey tradition.”

The jersey features parts of each of the four professional hockey teams that have played in Atlanta and its Metro area: the Flames, the Knights, the Thrashers and now, the Gladiators.  The left sleeve has the infamous three stripe design worn originally by the Flames on their road red jerseys during their existence from 1972-1980. This design is currently still worn by the NHL’s Calgary Flames on their third jersey and numerous other teams with similar styles that can be seen across hockey at all levels.

The waist stripping honors the second pro hockey team in Atlanta and most successful on the ice, the International Hockey League’s Atlanta Knights. The Knights made an appearance in the semi-finals after winning the Atlantic division their very first season of 1992-93. Their inaugural season also saw the debut of Manon Rheaume, marking the first appearance by a female in professional hockey in a regular season game.  The following season of 1993-94, the Knights went on to defeat the Fort Wayne Komets in the finals to win the IHL’s Turner Cup.  The Knights lasted two more seasons before they were forced to move to Quebec as the Omni Arena was torn down in preparation for the erecting of Phillips Arena and the new NHL team coming to town, the Atlanta Thrashers.

The right sleeve of the Gladiators’ new third jersey depicts the same iconic design worn by the city’s second NHL team, the Atlanta Thrashers. Whether loved or hated, the design with the word “ATLANTA” down the sleeve as opposed to a number and stripe design, was very unique to the sport and became an Atlanta hockey original. The Thrashers and Gladiators co-existed for nine seasons as the Gladiators served as the team’s ECHL affiliate for their entire tenure in Georgia.

The jersey also honors the history of the Gladiators as well, which stands as the longest tenured professional hockey team in Atlanta, currently in their 16th season and counting. The logos on the chest and shoulders are the same as the Gladiators main jerseys for all 16 seasons. The hockey socks are the exact design as the socks worn with the team’s black jerseys the first 15 years of the organization.  Lastly, the jersey’s number font and name text is the same as the club’s original black jersey which was retired at the beginning of this season as the team redesigned uniforms for the first time.   

“We feel this jersey incorporates various generations of Atlanta hockey fans,” said Treft. “Whether you’re an old school Flames fan, want to be reminded of the only pro hockey championship won in Atlanta while yelling ‘KNIGHTS’ during the national anthem, looking to bring back the memories of Blue Land or a current Glads fan who loves his team, this jersey will appeal to all Atlanta hockey fans.”

The team will wear this black jersey throughout the rest of the season both at home and on the road starting Friday, December 7th against the Orlando Solar Bears at the Infinite Energy Arena. These jerseys are ON SALE NOW and can be purchased by clicking HERE.  

The 16th season of Atlanta Gladiators hockey continues at the Infinite Energy Arena Friday, December 7th, against the Orlando Solar Bears 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 9,119-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 are 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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