ECHL Atlanta Gladiators

Gladiators Make Roster Moves

December 12, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Atlanta Gladiators News Release


The Gwinnett Gladiators announced today that three players have been called up to the American Hockey League. In addition, the Gladiators have signed two players. Rookie forward Matt Siddall has been reassigned to the Chicago Wolves while Dirk Southern was called up to the Manitoba Moose and Josh Engel returns to the Providence Bruins. Also, Gwinnett has signed Ryan Van Buskirk and Brian Yandle.

Siddall started the season with the Wolves, playing in 6 games, tallying 4 penalty minutes. After being reassigned to the Gladiators, the 6'1", 205 pound native of North Vancouver, British Columbia played in 13 games, scoring 4 goals, 8 assists, and 70 penalty minutes, good for third most on the team.

Southern returns to the Moose where he appeared in five games at the beginning of the 2008-09 season where he posted one goal. In 14 games this season with the Gladiators, Southern has posted one goal and 8 assists for 9 points and has recorded a +8 rating.

Engel returns to Providence where he appeared in one game and recorded a -2 rating in his only AHL game this season. In 18 games with the Gladiators, Engel has recorded 2 goals, both on the power play and 7 assists.

Gwinnett signed defensemen Ryan Van Buskirk who played part of the 2004-05 season with the Gladiators. During his first stop in Gwinnett during the 2004-05 season he appeared in 25 games posting a goal and 11 assists. He appeared in 55 games last season with the Florida Everblades notching 3 goals and 10 assists for 13 points.

Yandle joins the Gladiators after splitting time last season between the Augusta Lynx and the Phoenix Roadrunners. He finished the 2007-08 season with a combined 7 goals and 21 assists for 28 points.

Van Buskirk and Yandle should be available for the Gladiators for tonight's 7:35 p.m. tilt against the Mississippi Sea Wolves at the Arena at Gwinnett Center.

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. Eighteen of the 23 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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ECHL Stories from December 12, 2008


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