ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Defenseman Mason Returns to Gladiators

Published on August 15, 2008 under ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


The Gwinnett Gladiators announced today that defenseman Jeff Mason has been signed for the upcoming 2008-09 season.

Mason returns to Gwinnett where he led Gladiators blueliners in scoring during the 2008 Kelly Cup Playoffs posting 6 points off of 4 goals and 2 assists. His 4 goals during the post season ranked first on the Gladiators in that category.

The East Hampton, Massachusetts native appeared in 70 games last season for the Gladiators. He finished the year with 5 goals, 2 on the power play, and 15 assists for 20 points. Mason finished with a +9 rating, good for second among defensemen for best plus/minus rating.

Prior to joining the Gladiators, Mason spent his first two seasons in the ECHL with the Long Beach Ice Dogs in 2006-07 and with the Augusta Lynx during his rookie season in 2005-06. Mason led all Ice Dogs defensemen in scoring with 42 points and he was one of three players to appear in 71 games with Long Beach that season. Mason finished with 8 points in 42 games with Augusta in 2005-06.

The 5-foot-11, 195 pound defenseman played four seasons with Providence College prior to turning professional. In 125 career collegiate games, Mason scored 6 goals and registered 24 assists for 30 points.

Began in 1988-89 with five teams playing in four states, the Premier ‘AA' Hockey League has grown into a coast-to-coast league that will have 23 teams in 16 states and British Columbia playing 864 games from Oct. 17, 2008 to Apr. 4, 2009. Nineteen of the 24 teams have played at least five years in their current city.

The third-longest tenured professional hockey league behind only the National Hockey League and the American Hockey League, the ECHL averaged 4,174 per game last season, marking the fourth year in row and the 16th time in the last 18 years that the league has averaged over 4,000 fans. The league has drawn over four million fans each of the last five years and 11 times in the past 12 seasons.

The Gwinnett Gladiators open their sixth season as a proud member of the ECHL in October of 2008 - season ticket packages are on sale now. In addition, the Gladiators offer several unique multi-game ticket packages as well as discounted group rates, suite rentals, and birthday parties. For more information call 770-497-5100 or log on to gwinnettgladiators.com.

The Gladiators are the AA affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers and play all home games at the spectacular 11,355-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center, located just off I-85 on Sugarloaf Parkway in Duluth, where parking is always free.

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