Duluth, Ga. – The Atlanta Gladiators, ECHL affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Nashville Predators and the American Hockey League’s Milwaukee Admirals, announced that the team has signed forward Connor Caponi for the 2026-27 season.
Caponi signs with the Gladiators for his second season of professional hockey and first in the ECHL. The 26-year-old spent the 2025-26 campaign in the Elite Ice Hockey League with the Cardiff Devils, logging three assists in 35 regular-season games. Caponi added one goal in four postseason games, helping the Devils capture their fourth EIHL playoff championship.
Prior to turning pro, Caponi played five seasons of college hockey at the University of Denver from 2020-25. He is a two-time National Champion (2022, 2024) with the Pioneers and holds the program record for career games played (185). The Milwaukee, Wisconsin native was named an alternate captain for his senior and graduate seasons, and was named the 2024-25 AHCA All-American Scholar, NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete and is a five-time member of the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team.
In his graduate season in 2024-25, Caponi scored nine points (5g-4a) in 42 games. His most productive season on the scoresheet came in 2023-24, in which he had 14 points (5g-9a) in 44 games en route to his second National Championship victory with the Pioneers. Caponi finished his collegiate career with 38 points (18g-20a) in 185 games.
