On Tuesday August 4th, the Atlanta Gladiators announced the re-signing of dynamic forward Luke Nogard. The 26-year-old from Hamilton, Ontario stands at 6’1, 211 pounds. He is a huge presence on the ice, whether he is making the plays or breaking them up.
Nogard attended the University of Nebraska-Omaha where he suited up for 114 games. He played college hockey for four seasons, scoring 10 goals and 13 assists. He also previously played in 69 ECHL games between Toledo and Norfolk.
Nogard played 30 games with the Gladiators last season where he scored 10 goals and 12 assists. His season in Atlanta was broken up by a brief stint overseas where he played in eight games. He did so for the German Lausitzer Fusche before his return to the Atlanta Gladiators.
In a statement on the Gladiators website upon having signed for the upcoming season, Nogard noted that the Gladiators “finished the season as the hottest team in the league” and that he is “excited to continue that and build off of that momentum this year.”
The Atlanta Gladiators were really coming into their own at the abrupt end of the shortened ECHL season, and with the caliber of players that Atlanta is bringing back and signing to their roster, they could just be an unstoppable force when next season begins, set to start in October.