Former NHLer and current TNT analyst Anson Carter is trying his hand at pro hockey team ownership. The Atlanta Gladiators, the Arizona Coyotes’ ECHL affiliate, announced a transfer of the controlling interest in the team’s ownership Tuesday. The league’s board of governors approved the ownership change from Danor Vienna, LLC to ATL Hockey Group, LLC. Alex Campbell will be the majority owner while Carter becomes the minority owner.
It’s the first foray into pro team ownership for Carter, 48, who calls Atlanta home with his wife and children today.
“I am excited to be a part of professional hockey here in my adopted hometown,” Carter told NHL.com’s William Douglas. “I’ll be actively involved to ensure that Gladiators hockey is widely accepted not only here in Atlanta, but becomes a brand known internationally in the hockey world.”
Carter became interested in ECHL ownership after having conversations with Campbell, league commissioner Ryan Crelin and Jacksonville Icemen owner Andrew Kaufman and after attending a Gladiators game, Douglas reports. Carter sees Atlanta as a growth market for hockey interest.
Carter played 674 games in the NHL, scoring 202 goals, topping 20 goals five times and scoring a career-best 33 in 2005-06 with the Vancouver Canucks. He played the last of his 10 NHL seasons in 2006-07. He’s worked extensively as an on-air NHL analyst for the past decade, primarily with NBC Sports. He was named to TNT’s studio team in September 2021 and serves on the popular panel alongside the likes of Wayne Gretzky and Paul Bissonnette.
The Gladiators originated as the Mobile Mysticks in 2002, became the Gwynett Gladiators in 2003 and have been the Atlanta Gladiators since 2015. They have never won the Kelly Cup as league champs and they qualified for the playoffs for the second time in their past eight seasons in 2021-22, compiling a 43-24-4-1 record.
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