:San Diego Gulls

On January 29, 2015, the Anaheim Ducks announced that they would purchase their American Hockey League the Norfolk Admirals, and would be moving the team to San Diego as one of five charter members of the AHL's new Pacific Division. The team plays at Pechanga Arena in San Diego, the sixth professional hockey team to play there, following the original San Diego Gulls of the WHL (1966–74), the San Diego Mariners of the WHA (1974–1977), the San Diego Hawks of the Pacific Hockey League (1977–1979), the second San Diego Gulls of the IHL (1990–1995), and the third San Diego Gulls of the West Coast Hockey League (1995–2003) and ECHL (2003–2006).{{cite web | url=http://ducks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=750924&navid=DL| title=Ducks Launch American Hockey League Franchise in San Diego | publisher=Anaheim Ducks |via=NHL.com | date=January 29, 2015 | access-date=January 29, 2015}} The current team is the fifth hockey team in San Diego to use the "Gulls" name.

The Gulls' name, logo and colors were revealed on February 22, 2015, at HockeyFest.{{cite web | url=http://ducks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=750928 | title=Ducks to Hold 'San Diego Hockeyfest' on Sunday, February 22 | publisher=Anaheim Ducks |via=NHL.com | date=January 29, 2015 | access-date=January 29, 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/feb/22/anaheim-ducks-san-diego-gulls-ahl-hockeyfest |title=The Gulls Are Back In Town |work=The San Diego Union-Tribune |date=February 22, 2015 |access-date=July 7, 2015 |archive-date=July 7, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150707184254/http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/feb/22/anaheim-ducks-san-diego-gulls-ahl-hockeyfest/ |url-status=dead }} HockeyFest was deemed a success, drawing over 8,500 enthusiastic hockey fans.{{cite web | url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2015/feb/22/hockeyfest-anaheim-ducks-san-diego-gulls-fan-reax/| title=Hockeyfest a hit, fans welcome SD Gulls |last=Loh |first=Stefanie |work=The San Diego Union-Tribune |date=February 22, 2015 | access-date=July 7, 2015}}

The San Diego Gulls played their first home game on October 10, 2015, against the Grand Rapids Griffins. The team finished its inaugural season with an average attendance of 8,675, second in the league after the Hershey Bears.{{cite web |url=http://theahl.com/ahl-teams-establish-all-time-attendance-record-p202236 |title=AHL teams establish all-time attendance record |publisher=American Hockey League |access-date=May 23, 2016 |archive-date=May 22, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160522084810/http://theahl.com/ahl-teams-establish-all-time-attendance-record-p202236 |url-status=dead }}

After four seasons and three playoff appearances, the Anaheim Ducks promoted Gulls' head coach Dallas Eakins to the same position with the Ducks.{{Cite web |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nhl/news/ducks-to-hire-dallas-eakins-as-head-coach-report-says/kyp3181biu1n1vizasps5v0ng |title=Ducks hire Dallas Eakins as new head coach |website=The Sporting News |last=Chiappelli |first=Kirstie |date=June 17, 2019 |access-date=April 23, 2024}} Former Florida Panthers' head coach Kevin Dineen was hired as the next head coach.{{Cite web |url=https://www.sandiegogulls.com/news/detail/ducks-name-kevin-dineen-gulls-head-coach |title=Ducks Name Kevin Dineen Gulls Head Coach |publisher=San Diego Gulls |date=July 15, 2019 |access-date=April 23, 2024}}

Approaching the delayed 2020–21 season, due to COVID-19 pandemic considerations, the Gulls announced they would temporarily relocate and play the season out of the Ducks' practice rink, Great Park Ice & FivePoint Arena, in Irvine, California.{{cite web| url = https://theahl.com/28-teams-participate-2020-21-season | title = 28 teams to participate in 2020-21 season | publisher = American Hockey League | date = January 4, 2021 | access-date = January 4, 2021}} The Gulls finished third in the Pacific Division and lost in the semifinals to the second place Bakersfield Condors in division postseason tournament. After two seasons, the Ducks did not extend head coach Dineen, instead hiring former Laval Rocket head coach Joel Bouchard.{{Cite press release |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/anaheim-ducks-name-joel-bouchard-san-diego-gulls-head-coach/n-5717484 |title=Anaheim Ducks Name Joel Bouchard San Diego Gulls Head Coach |publisher=San Diego Gulls |via=OurSports Central |date=July 9, 2021 |access-date=April 23, 2024}} After a lackluster season under Bouchard, the Gulls would hire long-time AHL head coach Roy Sommer to be their fourth head coach in team history. In Sommer's only season as head coach of the Gulls, the Gulls finished with the least amount of points in the AHL. He retired at the end of the season.{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/after-60-years-in-hockey-gulls-head-coach-roy-sommer-announces-retirement/3208879/ |title=After 60 Years in Hockey, Gulls Head Coach Roy Sommer Announces Retirement |work=NBC 7 San Diego |last=Togerson |first=Derek |date=April 15, 2023 |access-date=April 10, 2024}}{{cite web |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/gulls/story/2023-10-12/gulls-open-season-with-new-coach-roster-expectations |title=Gulls open hockey season Friday with new coach, roster, expectations |work=The San Diego Union-Tribune |last=Carter |first=Ivan |date=October 12, 2023 |access-date=April 10, 2024}}

Matt McIlvane was hired as the new coach for the 2023–24 season, specifically due to his experience of working with younger players.

The Gulls consider the Ontario Reign, the Los Angeles Kings' AHL affiliate, to be their chief rivals and advertise games as "Rivalry Night".

The rivalry has been fueled by each teams' respective NHL affiliates, with Ontario being an affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings, and San Diego being affiliated with the Anaheim Ducks. Both Anaheim and Los Angeles share an intense rivalry dubbed the Freeway Faceoff.

Both fanbases of Ontario and San Diego are best known for traveling to away games at the other teams' respective arena, Toyota Arena in Ontario and Pechanga Arena in San Diego on numerous occasions throughout the respective season while firing off chants of "Go Reign Go" or "Let's Go Gulls" while inside the opposing venue.{{cite web |url=http://www.sandiegogulls.com/rivalry-night-in-san-diego/ |title=Rivalry Night in San Diego |publisher=San Diego Gulls |date=October 15, 2016 |access-date=February 17, 2017 |archive-date=February 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218143038/http://www.sandiegogulls.com/rivalry-night-in-san-diego/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.ontarioreign.com/news/detail/familiarity-breeds-contempt-as-reign-gulls-take-rivalry-to-playoffs |title=Familiarity Breeds Contempt as Reign, Gulls take Rivalry to Playoffs |publisher=Ontario Reign |date=May 4, 2016 |access-date=February 17, 2017 |archive-date=February 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218064607/http://www.ontarioreign.com/news/detail/familiarity-breeds-contempt-as-reign-gulls-take-rivalry-to-playoffs |url-status=dead }}

The teams faced each other in the 2016 division finals, where the Reign defeated the Gulls 4–1 in a best-of-seven series.{{cite web | url=http://theahl.com/2016-playoffs| title=2016 Playoffs |publisher=American Hockey League | access-date=February 16, 2017}} San Diego then defeated the Reign in the 2017 Calder Cup playoffs 3-games-to-2 in the division semifinals. Ontario would one-up San Diego with another postseason series victory after sweeping San Diego 2 games to none during the 2021–22 playoffs.

{{clear}}

In what is more of a rivalry from teams of the past, the Gulls have shared a longstanding rivalry with the Bakersfield Condors, the affiliate of the Edmonton Oilers.

Bakersfield, then known as the Bakersfield Fog from 1995 until 1998 when the franchise was rebranded as the Condors, and San Diego, were charter members of the West Coast Hockey League from its inception in 1995 until the league was absorbed by the East Coast Hockey League in 2003.

That 2015–16 season saw Bakersfield and San Diego have multiple fights and line brawls broke out during a game played at Mechanics Bank Arena. Each team has scored a postseason series victory over their respective foes.

Notably, on May 3, 2019, in the Pacific Division Finals of the 2019 Calder Cup playoffs, the Gulls defeated the Condors 3–2 in quadruple overtime for the 1–0 series lead. Maxime Comtois scored the game winning goal 4:20 into the fourth overtime period and it ended the game after five hours and ten minutes of gameplay. San Diego would upset Bakersfield by winning the series 4 games to 2. Bakersfield played San Diego during the COVID-shortened 2020–21 Pacific Division playoffs, defeating San Diego 2 games to 1 in the best of 3 series.

The Gulls also share a rivalry with the Tucson Roadrunners, the AHL affiliate of the Utah Mammoth and formerly the Arizona Coyotes affiliate. San Diego and Tucson's rivalry has been dubbed the "I-8 Border Cup" with the winner of each season's series between the two teams being presented with the "I-8 Border Cup Trophy", which has been in the possession of the Roadrunners since the 2018–19 season. As of the 2024–25, the two teams have faced each other 80 times during the regular season, with the Roadrunners holding a record of 43–34–2–1 against the Gulls. In the 2024–25 season, Tucson secured the series with a 5–3–0–0 record.

{{notelist}}

Updated April 28, 2025.{{cite web| url = http://theahl.com/stats/roster.php?step=&sub=&season_id=51&division_id=0&tournament_id=0&team_id=404 | title = San Diego Gulls playing roster | publisher = American Hockey League | date = April 28, 2025 | accessdate = April 28, 2025}}

{{Ice hockey team roster |contract=yes}}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Ryan | last = Carpenter | dab = | num = 22 | pos = C | nat = United States | s/g = R | birthyear = 1991 | birthmonth = 1 | birthday = 18 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Oviedo, Florida | contract = Gulls | inj = no | cap = C | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Anthony | last = Costantini | dab = | num = – | pos = D | nat = Canada | s/g = R | birthyear = 2002 | birthmonth = 8 | birthday = 4 | acq = 2023 | birthplace = Hamilton, Ontario | contract = Gulls | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = William | last = Francis | dab = William Francis (ice hockey) | num = 38 | pos = D | nat = United States | s/g = R | birthyear = 2000 | birthmonth = 11 | birthday = 16 | acq = 2025 | birthplace = Saint Paul, Minnesota | contract = Gulls | inj = no | cap = | fa = ATO }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Ruslan | last = Gazizov | dab = | num = 42 | pos = LW | nat = Russia | s/g = L | birthyear = 2004 | birthmonth = 1 | birthday = 21 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Novy Urengoy, Russia | contract = Gulls | inj = yes | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Dillon | last = Heatherington | dab = | num = 3 | pos = D | nat = Canada | s/g = L | birthyear = 1995 | birthmonth = 5 | birthday = 9 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Calgary, Alberta | contract = Gulls | inj = no | cap = A | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Travis | last = Howe | dab = | num = 24 | pos = RW | nat = United States | s/g = R | birthyear = 1994 | birthmonth = 2 | birthday = 10 | acq = 2022 | birthplace = Hull, Massachusetts | contract = Gulls | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Roman | last = Kinal | dab = | num = 41 | pos = D | nat = United States | s/g = L | birthyear = 1998 | birthmonth = 7 | birthday = 20 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Waterford, Michigan | contract = Gulls | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Ryan | last = Lautenbach | dab = | num = 43 | pos = RW | nat = United States | s/g = R | birthyear = 2000 | birthmonth = 2 | birthday = 27 | acq = 2025 | birthplace = Dearborn, Michigan | contract = Gulls | inj = no | cap = | fa = ATO }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Owen | last = Lindmark | dab = | num = 39 | pos = C | nat = United States | s/g = R | birthyear = 2001 | birthmonth = 5 | birthday = 17 | acq = 2025 | birthplace = Enid, Oklahoma | contract = Gulls | inj = no | cap = | fa = ATO }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Andrew | last = Lucas | dab = | num = 40 | pos = D | nat = United States | s/g = R | birthyear = 1999 | birthmonth = 2 | birthday = 5 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Alexandria, Virginia | contract = Gulls | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Roland | last = McKeown | dab = | num = 37 | pos = D | nat = Canada | s/g = R | birthyear = 1996 | birthmonth = 1 | birthday = 20 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Listowel, Ontario | contract = Gulls | inj = no | cap = A | fa = }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Konnor | last = Smith | dab = | num = 45 | pos = D | nat = Canada | s/g = L | birthyear = 2004 | birthmonth = 11 | birthday = 6 | acq = 2024 | birthplace = Windsor, Ontario | contract = Gulls | inj = no | cap = | fa = ATO }}

{{Ice hockey team player

| first = Carsen | last = Twarynski | dab = | num = 15 | pos = LW | nat = Canada | s/g = L | birthyear = 1997 | birthmonth = 11 | birthday = 24 | acq = 2025 | birthplace = Calgary, Alberta | contract = Gulls | inj = no | cap = | fa = }}

|}

{{Div col}}

• Joe Piskula, 2015–16
• Jaycob Megna, 2018–19
• Sam Carrick, 2019–21
• Greg Pateryn, 2021–22
• Chase De Leo, 2022–24
• Ryan Carpenter, 2024–present

{{div col end}}

Notes:

• ¹ (1967–74 with the San Diego Gulls of the WHL)

These are the top-ten point-scorers for the San Diego Gulls in the AHL. Figures are updated after each completed season.{{Cite web| url = http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/display_players.php?tmi=11619 | title = San Diego Gulls - All Time AHL leaders | publisher = hockeydb.com | date = April 16, 2023 | accessdate = April 16, 2023}}

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games Played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game; {{Color box|#cfc|border=darkgray}} = current Gulls player

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.sandiegogulls.com/ Official website]

{{San Diego Gulls}}

{{Anaheim Ducks}}

{{AHL}}

{{San Diego Sports}}

{{California sports}}

Category:American Hockey League teams

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Category:Ice hockey teams in San Diego

Category:Ice hockey clubs established in 2015

Category:Professional ice hockey teams in California

Category:2015 establishments in California