Professional ice hockey makes its return to the San Diego region after a nine-year absence on Saturday, Oct. 10, when the San Diego Gulls face off their inaugural American Hockey League season against the Grand Rapids Griffins at the Valley View Casino Center (Sports Arena).
A sell-out crowd is expected. Game time is 7:05 p.m.
The AHL Gulls hope to rekindle the loyalty that area hockey fans had toward the previous Gulls franchise that operated for 11 years at the AA level in the West Coast Hockey League and ECHL. Those Gulls won five Taylor Cup championships during their eight-year run in the WCHL and captured one Brabham Cup regular season points championship during their final three seasons in the ECHL
The newest Gulls franchise is ushering in an exciting new ea. The AHL operates at the AAA level — one step below the premier NHL. The Gulls are an affiliate of the Anaheim Ducks and fans should expect players transitioning between the teams throughout the season.
A total of 628 AHL graduates are on NHL opening day rosters, which is more than 84 percent of the NHL playing pool to begin the 2015 campaign.
“It’s going to be exciting for fans in that they might see a guy play for us and the next night see him play against the Kings at the Staples Center,” Gulls GM Bob Ferguson said.
Have you purchased season tickets yet?
Hot on ice
The arrival of the AHL Gulls has obviously sent a ripple of excitement throughout the region’s youth hockey community, both ice and inline.
The CIF-Metro Conference, launched in November 2000, has 17 schools playing roller hockey, including nine schools within the founding Sweetwater Union High School District.
Overall, the San Diego region boasts six ice rinks, two indoor inline hockey rinks, plus the district’s outdoor rink at Castle Park High School.
If you are a kid who has never seen a live hockey game, now is the time to get excited — and lace up a pair of skates.
Bonita Vista High School roller hockey coach Keith Quigley, who has coached the Barons since their inception at the club level in 1998, admits he is excited about the Gulls being back in town.
“There are plenty of hockey fans who want to support local hockey again,” said Quigley, who operates the non-profit PUCKidz organization that serves as an outreach to underprivileged children who want to learn how to play hockey.
“I’m really hoping that this sparks a big interest in local youth and high school hockey. Maybe this will even bring more kids to high school roller hockey tryouts in November. That would be awesome!”
Quigley was among several local roller hockey coaches who attended February’s San Diego Hockeyfest that attracted 8,500 fans to the Valley View Casino Center to witness the official unveiling of the AHL club’s name and logo.
Also in the long line that snaked around the arena and parking lot were many South County high school roller hockey players and alumni who came out to support the new team.
Eight members of the Sweetwater High School team were present, as were selected Mar Vista and Southwest players and parents.
“I was just excited to see hockey was coming back to San Diego,” Sweetwater’s Luis Trevino said. “I’m excited to go to some games (this season).”
Teammate Marco Salazar was equally enthusiastic about the Gulls’ return. “It was pretty cool to see the unveiling of the name of the team,” he said. “We have a pro hockey team.”
Salazar said he’s become hooked on hockey after playing with the Red Devils. “I didn’t think it would be as fun as it’s turned out,” he said.
Sweetwater’s Phillip Brandon was impressed by the number of fans who attended the San Diego Hockeyfest event. “I think there will be more of them coming to the games,” he said.
As a first-year player for Sweetwater, he said it was exciting to step onto the playing court and experience the fast pace of the game while finishing as one of the team’s scoring leaders.
“I’m hoping to do better next season,” he said.
Mar Vista alumnus Mark Rodriguez was also there, as was his grandfather Frank Clamser, 76. Both were involved with the former Gulls teams that played in the WCHL and ECHL.
Clamser served as the visiting teams’ locker room attendant; Rodriguez was a stick boy.
Both were excited to welcome the new team into town.
“It was pretty mind-blowing to see how many people showed up,” said Rodriguez, who now officiates games at the Castle Park High School rink. “The people who were in front of us came down from Long Beach.”
Southwest’s Kayleigh Andrew and her parents also came to see what all the hype was about. They were among the lucky in the front of the line to get free commemorative Gulls T-shirts.
“It’s extraordinary to have hockey back in San Diego,” Andrew said. “It’s where it belongs.”
West Hills High School roller hockey coach Steve Baldwin, who has four roller and ice hockey playing sons, three of whom have gone on to play for Team USA inline, said the Gulls would be wise to reach out to its young hockey fanbase.
“The amateur ice and roller hockey scene is very excited about the Gulls AHL team and we all hope that it will create some new interest in the sport of hockey,” Baldwin said.
“Interest in hockey certainly declined after the departure of the old San Diego Gulls and now we are all willing to work with the new Gulls to promote hockey together. There’s around 5,000 ice or roller hockey players in San Diego county who currently play on organized teams and this will be the base of the Gulls’ fan support system.”
Gulls (version 4.0)
What should fans expect from the new AHL team?
The Gulls will play a 66-game regular season schedule as members of the AHL’s new seven-team Pacific Division alongside four other California teams and two teams based in Texas. The league features players who are on loan from the NHL as well as highly touted NHL draft picks.
The other California franchises include the Ontario Reign (L.A. Kings), Bakersfield Condors (Edmonton Oilers), San Jose Barracuda (San Jose Sharks) and Stockton Heat (Calgary Flames). The creation of a western pod in the AHL was for the parent western NHL teams to have easier access to their development players, both for call-ups as well as day-to-day monitoring.
San Diego is just a two-hour drive from Anaheim.
The Gulls and Reign are expected to mimic their parent NHL clubs’ heated rivalry, and the Gulls already have a 2-0 edge on their closest geographic neighbors after sweeping the teams’ two preseason exhibition games.
New Gulls head coach Dallas Eakins said the focus will be on “developing players for the parent club in a winning environment.”
“In the AHL, there’s no blueprint for how many players go up and down,” explained Eakins, who led the Toronto Marlies to the 2012 AHL Calder Cup Final. “It depends on the need of the parent club. Looking at our possible roster, I think we’ll be able to supply players when they are needed. I think we can be a winning team as well as developing players at the same time. We believe we will have a number of players in San Diego who could start for other NHL teams.”
Along those lines, Eakins said “discipline and commitment” are critical.
“You don’t go from an intern to a CEO overnight,” Eakins explained. “There is a process to everything. We want our players to reach their potential. But we also want them to feel the sense of belonging.
Eakins emphasized the responsibility his players have to the community.
“We want to be embedded in this community 365 days a year,” Eakins pledged. “Our players will be prodded and pushed to get out in the community. It’s extremely important to give back to the community. We’ve been given so much on our way up, we want to give back.”
Prior to Monday’s exhibition game at the Honda Center in Anaheim against Ontario, the Gulls added five players to their training camp roster to increase the number of players in camp to 27 – 15 forwards, nine defensemen and three goaltenders.
The Gulls are a diverse mix – 10 Americans, 14 Canadians and three Europeans.
Center Kyle MacKinnon, who signed as a free agent on July 8, is the team’s Golden State boy, hailing from Walnut in Los Angeles County. He will turn 28 on Oct. 28 and is one of the Gulls’ veteran players. He enters this season having tallied 46 goals and 118 points in 260 regular season AHL games. He had 27 points in 47 games last season for the St. John’s IceCaps.
Eakins said veteran players have a defined role on the team. “I’d like them to have the chance to make the NHL,” Eakins said. “I also want them to feel it’s their duty to help the younger players. They’ll be challenged to help our younger players. It’s critical to the success of our organization.”
Overall, there are 13 players on the Gulls’ roster from last year’s Norfolk Admirals franchise that was purchased by the Ducks and moved west.
General Manager Bob Ferguson said to expect player movement throughout the season between the Gulls and the Ducks and also between the Gulls and their ECHL affiliate, the Utah Grizzlies.
“It’s going to be something positive for everyone,” Ferguson explained. “About 80 percent of the players in the NHL previously played in the AHL.”
The Gulls defeated the Reign, 3-2, in a shootout in the teams’ first exhibition game last Friday at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario. It looks to be the start of a heated rivalry between the clubs, mimicking the Ducks-Kings’ NHL rivalry.
The Gulls got goals from Bryan Moore (Indian Trail, N.C.) and Harry Zolnierczyk (Toronto, Canada) while Gulls netminder Matt Hackett (London, Ontario, Canada) made 30 stops on 32 shots. The teams played through a five-minute three-on-three overtime period before Ondrej Kase (Kadan, Czech Republic) scored the lone goal in the shootout to give the Gulls their first-ever victory, preseason or otherwise.
Future Ducks and Kings were showcased in Monday’s 5-3 Gulls’ win over the Reign in front of more than 8,000 fans at the Honda Center. Chris Mueller (West Seneca, N.Y.) Nick Ritchie (Orangeville, Ontario, Canada) and Stefan Noesen (Plano, Texas) each had a goal and assist to lead the Gulls while Brian McGrattan, a veteran of 317 NHL games, also scored for the Gulls, as did Shea Theordore (Langely, British Colombia, Canada), Anaheim’s first-round pick in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
Is this the beginning of another love affair for hockey fans in the city? The puck is about to drop.
Gulls top Grand Rapids, win inaugural AHL game on opening night
SAN DIEGO, Oct. 10, 2015 — With temperatures baking the San Diego region throughout the week, it wasn’t surprising that the term “hot on ice” would take on both a figurative and literal meaning in the San Diego Gulls’ American Hockey League debut on Saturday night in front of a sell-out crowd of 12,900 fans at the Valley View Casino Center.
With the heat both inside and outside the arena, a thick layer of fog condensed over the ice, making it difficult at times to see. In fact, game officials pondered if it was even safe to play.
But the ceremonial puck was dropped and a new era of professional hockey in the San Diego region faced off.
Nick Ritchie, a first-round draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks, scored the first goal in team history on a power play with just under five minutes to play in the opening period and goaltender John Gibson made 32 saves as the Gulls, gaining confidence as the game wore on, defeated the visiting Grand Rapids Griffins, 4-2, to acclaim from a new legion of fans.
The game marked the return of pro hockey to the city after a nine-year absence.
Mike Sgarbossa and Shea Theodore drew the assists on Ritchie’s game-breaker at the 15:01 mark of the first period to chalk up the first assists in AHL Gulls’ history. There would be more firsts before the memorable night was finished.
Rookie Brandon Montour became the first defenseman to score a goal for the relocated franchise when he beat Grand Rapids goaltender Jared Coreau at the 14:47 mark of the second period to stake San Diego to a 2-0 lead. Montour’s goal, assisted by Shane O’Brien and Chris Mueller, also came on the power play.
Ritchie became the first Gull to score two goals in a game when he scored an unassisted goal at 6:40 of the third period to place the hosts ahead 3-1 following a power play goal by the Griffins’ Eric Tangardi 1:42 into the period.
With Gibson knocking down passes in front of the net and blocking even more that made it past San Diego defenders, Grand Rapids piled up a lopsided 13-6 shot advantage in the final period. When Colin Campbell finally broke through for the Griffins’ second goal of the night with 7:16 to play, it appeared as if the visitors might somehow find a way to spoil both Gibson’s heroic performance and the Gulls’ opening night celebration.
But Antoine Laganiere made certain San Diego fans would see a winning effort when he scored an empty net goal with 31 seconds to play.
The Griffins out-shot the Gulls 34-30 in the game but the numbers weren’t that revealing. Grand Rapids, already with a game under their belt, came out firing the puck at Gibson in taking a 15-6 first period edge in shots. The Gulls regrouped and out-shot the visitors 17-6 in the middle period.
Coreau made saves on 26 of 29 shots he faced in the game.
San Diego finished two-for-five on the power play while Grand Rapids went one-for-three.
It was a promising start for a re-born franchise that finished with 12 more losses than wins (27-39-6-4) last season as the Norfolk Admirals.
But everything was new on Saturday, including the scoreboard, dasher boards and ice-making equipment — part of a large financial investment by the Gulls’ parent club hoping to develop a productive and profitable pipeline to the NHL in the future.
There was even a fresh new outlook.
“It was exciting,” Ritchie conceded about scoring the first goal in AHL Gulls history, “but I think we have better things ahead here.”
It was certainly exciting for the 12,920 fans lucky enough to get tickets to the inaugural game as well as those who had to settle for listening to the game on radio from all corners of the county.
— Phillip Brents
New AHL Gulls franchise to honor local hockey legend Willie O’Ree
The previous three San Diego Gulls’ franchises (International Hockey League, West Coast Hockey League/ECHL and Western Hockey League) were big on community involvement and the new American Hockey League club has pledged the same. The Gulls will honor legendary adopted San Diegan Willie O’Ree on Friday, Oct. 16, when they host the Bakersfield Condors on Willie O’Ree Night.
O’Ree, who will turn 80 on Oct. 15, made history on Jan. 18, 1958, as the first black player in the NHL. O’Ree played a total of 45 NHL games for the Boston Bruins, including 43 during the 1960-61 season, but earned his place in local lore by playing seven seasons (1967-74) for the original San Diego Gulls of the Western Hockey League.
O’Ree became a fan favorite with the Gulls, playing in 447 games for the WHL club while scoring 350 points.
O’Ree later came out of retirement at 43 to play one final season of pro hockey with the San Diego Hawks of the Pacific Hockey League when he tallied 46 points in 53 games.
O’Ree, who has been called the “Jackie Robinson of ice hockey,” has since served as the director of youth development for the NHL/USA Hockey Diversity Task Force and an ambassador for NHL Diversity, a position he still holds today. In this role, emphasizing commitment, perseverance and teamwork as core values, O’Ree has aided in introducing the sport of hockey to more than 40,000 boys and girls of diverse backgrounds, and has established nearly 40 local grassroots hockey programs throughout North America.
The longtime La Mesa resident was inducted locally into the San Diego Hall of Champions and Breitbard Hall of Fame in 2008. Also that same year, O’Ree was honored by San Diego State University with an award for outstanding commitment to diversity and cross-cultural understanding
In 2010, O’Ree, a native of Fredericton, New Brunswick, received the Order of Canada, the highest civilian award for a Canadian citizen. He was honored for his contribution both as a hockey pioneer in paving the way for subsequent players of diverse ethnic backgrounds in the NHL and as dedicated youth mentor in both the United States and Canada.
The legendary O’Ree was present at February’s San Diego Hockeyfest when 8,500 fans ringed the arena for the unveiling of the AHL team’s name and logo.
O’Ree, who has repeatedly been recognized for his excellence on and off the playing surface, said he is honored to be honored by the newest San Diego pro hockey team to bear the beloved Gulls moniker.
“I am thrilled to celebrate my 80th birthday with the new San Diego Gulls and hockey fans in San Diego,” O’Ree said. “I’m proud and thankful that the club has chosen to honor me during its inaugural AHL season. This organization has proven time and again its commitment to becoming deeply ingrained in this community, including and beyond the 34 home game dates.”
O’Ree will be honored prior to and during the Oct. 16 game. The ceremony will include the raising of O’Ree’s No. 20 jersey to the arena rafters.
In his 21 pro seasons, including two in the AHL with the Springfield Indians (1957-58) and New Haven Nighthawks (1972-73), he played with only five percent vision in his right eye after being hit with an errant puck two years before his history-making debut with the Bruins.
“Willie is a trailblazer and international sports icon,” explained Gulls President of Business Operations Ari Segal. “While he courageously broke the NHL’s color barrier in 1958, he’s worked tirelessly throughout his life to promote diversity in our sport, and increase access to hockey for people of all races, ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds. We feel fortunate to have the opportunity to honor him and celebrate his life and historic career on the day after his 80th birthday.”
Fans’ hockey love affair with the venerable O’Ree continues to this day.
“Old Gulls fans all remember Willie O’Ree,” noted West Hills High School roller hockey coach Steve Baldwin, whose four sons have played both ice hockey and roller hockey while growing up in Santee. “We remember his speed, his grace, his support for the San Diego hockey community and how he made history by being the first black player to break the color barrier in the NHL. There’s no doubt Willie has had enormous impact on hockey in the USA.”
A press release was used in the preparation of this story.
California’s new AHL teams face off 2015-16 campaign on promising note
The American Hockey League’s new western pod of five California teams faced off their inaugural season the weekend of Oct. 9-10 with high expectations and excitement rippling through opening night crowds as a new era in professional ice hockey dawned on the West Coast.
The Bakersfield Condors, Ontario Reign, San Diego Gulls and Stockton Heat all made their AHL debuts on winning notes.
The AHL is the highest tier of minor professional hockey in North America and serves as the AAA affiliate to the NHL. The league is facing off its 80th season in 2015-16.
The Grand Rapids Griffins (Detroit Red Wings) served as the opening night opposition for both the Condors (Edmonton Oilers) and Gulls (Anaheim Ducks) while the Rockford IceHogs (Chicago Blackhawks) served as the opening night foe for both the Barracuda (San Jose Sharks) and Heat (Calgary Flames).
- Bakersfield shaded Grand Rapids, 1-0, on a goal scored by left wing Andrew Miller with just under two minutes remaining in front of 5,149 fans at Rabobank Arena on Oct. 9. Condors goaltender Laurent Brossoit stopped all 31 shots he faced to post his 10th career shutout in a Bakersfield uniform in both the AHL and ECHL.
- San Diego defeated the Griffins, 4-2, in front of a sell-out crowd of 12,920 fans at the Valley View Casino Center on Oct. 10 as Nick Ritche, the Ducks’ first-round pick in 2014, scored two goals and goaltender John Gibson made 32 saves. The game marked the return of pro hockey to the city after a nine-year absence. Ritchie scored the first goal in team history on a power play with just under five minutes to play in the opening period.
- The Barracuda was doubled up by the Ice Hogs in a 4-2 loss in front of 6,799 fans at the SAP Center on Oct. 9 as Michael Haley and Bryan Lerg each scored goals for the hosts and Troy Grosenick made 37 saves in the loss.
- Seven different Heat players collected multiple points and goaltender Jon Gillies posted a 19-save shutout in Stockton’s 7-0 win over Rockford on Oct. 10 in front of 6,543 fans at Stockton Arena. Drew Grant scored two goals to lead the Heat.
- Defending Calder Cup champion Ontario faced off its season Oct. 10 with a 5-0 win at Bakersfield in front of 5,229 fans. Kris Newbury scored two goals to lead the Reign while Vincent LoVerde finished the night with a goal and assist. Reign goaltender Peter Budaj made 21 saves to net the shutout win as the teams faced off their interstate rivalry.
Ontario’s home opener at Citizens Business Bank Arena is scheduled Oct. 23 against Bakersfield. The Reign won last year’s AHL championship as the Manchester Monarchs.
The Bakersfield, Ontario, San Diego and Stockton AHL clubs replaced ECHL franchises that had previously operated in those cities at the AA level.
American Hockey League
Pacific Division Alignment
(NHL affiliation)
- Bakersfield Condors (Edmonton Oilers)
- Ontario Reign (L.A. Kings)
- San Antonio Rampage (Colorado Avalanche)
- San Diego Gulls (Anaheim Ducks)
- San Jose Barracuda (San Jose Sharks)
- Stockton Heat (Calgary Flames)
- Texas Stars (Dallas Stars)
SPECIAL SAN DIEGO GULLS EDITION OF #SDLIVE PREMIERES MONDAY NIGHT
FOX Sports San Diego will air a special #SDLive featuring guests from the San Diego Gulls organization. Tonight’s show (Monday, Oct. 12) includes sit down interviews with Gulls Head Coach Dallas Eakins, General Manager Bob Ferguson, as well as two key players from the team: Max Friberg and Harry Zolnierczyk.
#SDLive host Mike Pomeranz chats with both Eakins and Ferguson about their move and adjustment to San Diego. The head coach and GM discuss how to balance developing players for the NHL and winning in the AHL with a constantly changing team.
In addition, Eakins and Ferguson share their coordinated efforts for the style of play they want to employ between their team and the Anaheim Ducks and talk about what fans should expect to experience at a Gulls game.
Pomeranz then sits down with Zolnierczyk to discuss the differences between the AHL and NHL and how to balance the need to develop with the need for Gulls wins. Zolnierczyk talks about his greatest strengths and weaknesses and what it’s like to be in San Diego.
Finally, Pomeranz chats with Friberg about his approach to the season in the AHL after having already played in the NHL, the differences he sees between the two leagues and what his favorite play on the ice is.
This episode of #SDLive will debut immediately following live coverage Anaheim Ducks vs. Vancouver Canucks beginning at 6:30 p.m. PST on FOX Sports San Diego.
