Gladiators Add Conroy, Re-Sign Cipollone and Young, and Ink Rookie Appelt for 2025-26 Season

DULUTH, Ga. — The Atlanta Gladiators continued shaping their 2025-26 roster with a series of key moves this week, highlighted by the acquisition of defenseman Ryan Conroy from the Adirondack Thunder in exchange for future considerations.

Conroy, 24, is coming off his first full season of professional hockey, where he tallied 8 goals and 21 assists for 29 points in 71 games. The 5-foot-9, 185-pound blueliner led all Adirondack defensemen in scoring last season, while ranking third overall among Thunder skaters.

The Gladiators also announced the return of forward Joey Cipollone, who has re-signed for the 2025-26 season. Cipollone, 26, was one of Atlanta’s most consistent offensive contributors last year, registering 15 goals and 19 assists for 34 points across 68 games. His 15 goals ranked second on the team during the 2024-25 campaign.

In addition, the Gladiators signed rookie forward Ryley Appelt, who joins the professional ranks after a four-year collegiate career at Grant MacEwan University. The Edmonton, Alberta, native posted 9 goals and 4 assists with the Griffins, including 1 goal and 1 assist in 25 games during his senior season.

Rounding out the week’s transactions, forward Alex Young will return for his third professional season. Young, 24, was acquired from Adirondack in March of 2025 and made an immediate impact with Atlanta, scoring 4 goals and 4 assists in 11 games. Overall, he collected 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points in 54 games split between the Gladiators and Thunder last season.

The Gladiators will be announcing additional player signings LIVE on the team’s YouTube channel. Fans can tune in on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:00 PM EST to catch exclusive content and live roster updates as the 2025-26 squad takes shape.