Glads bring back Campbell, add Besinger

DULUTH, GA – The Atlanta Gladiators announced today the re-signing of defenseman Greg Campbell and the signing of forward Tommy Besinger for the 2020-2021 ECHL season.

“Greg was a big part of our winning streak at the end of last season,” said Gladiators head coach Jeff Pyle. “He is a good, young defenseman that makes great decisions. He is calm with the puck and has excellent vision. He stepped in and played well at both ends of the ice. I am looking for a great year from Greg.”

Campbell is a 25-year-old defenseman from Oakville, Ontario. He played for the local Oakville Blades in the OJHL before embarking on a collegiate career at Union College in Schenectady, New York. The defenseman tallied 43 points (8 goals, 35 assists) with the Dutchmen from 2015 to 2019. Campbell made his professional debut with the Florida Everblades last season before being traded to the Allen Americans in December. He played in 21 games for the Americans before being traded again in February, this time to the Gladiators. Campbell played in 14 games for Atlanta to finish the season.

After the trade to Atlanta, the defenseman noted he “felt right at home with the coaching staff and the players on the team. When I got here, we were on the verge of doing something special. With the core group of guys we have coming back and the new additions to the roster, I believe we will pick up right where we left off last year.”

Coach Pyle described Tommy Besinger as a “hard working, two-way player that can score.” He referenced Tommy’s record as a “top scorer at Endicott College with great vision and hands.” The Gladiators coach felt confident that the forward would “be a good fit for our system.

Besinger is a 26-year-old forward from Boston, Massachusetts. He played in 12 games for the Army Academy in 2015 before enrolling at Endicott College in the metro Boston area. The forward played in 71 total games for the Gulls from 2016 to 2019, netting 33 goals and adding 71 assists. Besinger played briefly in the SPHL, registering four games with the Evansville Thunderbolts in 2019. Last season, Tommy suited up for Scorpions de Mulhouse in France’s Synerglace Ligue Magnus. He tallied an impressive 35 points (20 goals, 15 assists) in 32 games played.

Besinger described himself as a “skilled, high-energy player”, also noting that he plays the game with “a lot of grit”. Tommy said that he “cannot wait to get to Atlanta and meet the team, fans, and organization.”

“Campbell made an immediate impact when he arrived last season,” said Atlanta team president Jerry James. “We feel he can make a big contribution to this year’s team at the blue line. Tommy comes into our program with an impressive record as a scorer. We are excited to see what both of these guys can do this season.”