The San Diego Gulls were a professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...

team in the

West Coast Hockey League The West Coast Hockey League was a professional minor ice hockey league active in the western United States from 1995 to 2003. The number of teams ranged from six to nine. The teams were located in Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Nev ...

(WCHL) and later in the

ECHL The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL). The E ...

. The team, the third to use the ''Gulls'' nickname, was founded in 1995 immediately upon the departure of the IHL team of the same name. The Gulls played at the

San Diego Sports Arena Pechanga Arena (historically known as the San Diego Sports Arena) is an indoor arena built in 1966 and located in the Midway area of San Diego, California. The arena seats 12,000 for indoor football, 12,920 for ice hockey, indoor soccer and ...

History

The Gulls were the dominant team throughout the WCHL's eight-year existence, winning the regular season championship five times. The Gulls never finished worse than second overall in WCHL league play, attaining the 100-point mark five times. The Gulls also won five of the league's Taylor Cup championships. No other WCHL team won the Taylor Cup more than once. In 2003, the WCHL was absorbed by the

, formerly known as the East Coast Hockey League. In 2004, the Gulls became the ECHL affiliate of the

Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...

. The Gulls won the ECHL regular season title in 2003–04 but missed the playoffs for the first and only time in their history the following year. In stark contrast to their WCHL playoff success, the Gulls failed to win a postseason series in three ECHL seasons. Throughout their WCHL stint and through their first year of ECHL play, the Gulls were coached by St. Cloud State University (Minnesota) alumnus

Steve Martinson Stephen Paul Martinson (born June 21, 1959) is an American former professional ice hockey player and coach. He played 49 games in the National Hockey League with the Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, and Minnesota North Stars between 1987 an ...

. Martinson left the Gulls and went on to coach the

Rockford IceHogs The Rockford IceHogs are a professional ice hockey team based in Rockford, Illinois. They are members of the American Hockey League (AHL), having begun play in the League starting in the 2007–08 season. The team plays their home games at the ...

of the UHL.

Martin St. Amour Martin St. Amour (born January 30, 1970) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), left winger who played in one National Hockey League game for the Ottawa Senators during the 1992–93 NHL season, on April 4, 1993 against ...

, who was a star for the Gulls in their WCHL years replaced Martinson as head coach prior to the 2004–05 season. St. Amour stepped down in the middle of the 2005–06 season and was replaced by former Gulls players Jamie Black and B.J. MacPherson as co-coaches. The final starting goalie was Kevin Lentz. He went 20-1-1 in the final stretch of the regular season but retired due to a knee injury.

2006 folding

On June 30, 2006, the Gulls folded and released their players as

free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is a ...

s following years of unprofitable seasons.

GULLS TO FORMALLY CEASE OPERATIONS FRIDAY – 06-29-2006SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Gulls announced Thursday that they will formally cease operations as of Friday (June 30). Ongoing negotiations to sell the club did not materialize in a timeframe sufficient to operate for the 2006–07 season.

Championships

Season-by-season record

''Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime losses, SOL = Shootout losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, PIM = Penalties in minutes'' Final records.

Former San Diego Gulls players (WCHL)

Ralph Barahona Ralph Joseph Barahona (born November 16, 1965) is an American former professional ice hockey center who played six games in the National Hockey League for the Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston ...

Patrick Couture Patrick Couture (born May 28, 1978) is a Canadians, Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Prior to turning professional, Couture played major junior hockey in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Couture set the QMJHL's record, ...

Ron Duguay Ronald Duguay (born July 6, 1957) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and coach who played 12 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1977 through 1989, and served four seasons as a minor league coach. He appeared as an ...

Micki DuPont Micki DuPont (born April 15, 1980) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenseman who is currently an unrestricted free agent. He most recently played for Eisbären Berlin in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). Playing career Normally playing a ...

* Rusty Fitzgerald * Stefan Grogg * Len Hachborn *

Trevor Koenig Trevor Koenig (born 10 December 1974) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He last played for the Dundee Stars in the UK Elite Ice Hockey League. Koenig was born in Edmonton, Alberta. Koenig currently coaches the Mighty Bulls' U7 a ...

Marc Laforge Marc Laforge (born January 3, 1968, in Greater Sudbury, Sudbury, Ontario) is a former professional ice hockey defenceman (ice hockey), defenceman. He was drafted in the second round, 32nd overall, by the Hartford Whalers in the 1986 NHL Entry Draf ...

Sergejs Naumovs Sergejs Ivanovich Naumovs (born 4 April 1969 in Riga, Soviet Union) is a Latvian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Naumovs began career with Dinamo Riga in the Soviet League. In 1994, he moved to North America and had spells with the O ...

Mark Pederson Mark Patrick Pederson (born January 14, 1968) is a Canadians, Canadian ice hockey coach and former professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), left winger who played 169 games in the National Hockey League, NHL. He is currently serving as head co ...

* Barry Potomski * Pasi Schalin *

Daniel Shank Daniel Shank (born May 12, 1967) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League. After playing four seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Shank made his professional debut with the Adiron ...

* Stephan St. Amour *

Garret Stroshein William Garrett Stroshein (born April 4, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who primarily played as an Enforcer. He played in three games in the National Hockey League for the Washington Capitals The Washington Capita ...

* Dean Tiltgen *

Sergejs Višegorodcevs Sergejs Višegorodcevs (born May 22, 1976) is a Latvian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Career Višegorodcevs played in the Russian Superleague for HC CSKA Moscow (1996–2002), CSKA Moscow from 1996 to 1998 and again from 2001 to ...

Tyler Weiman Tyler Ray Weiman (born June 5, 1984) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played one game in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Colorado Avalanche. Playing career Weiman was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He was d ...

Mark Woolf Mark Woolf (born September 30, 1970) is a retired professional ice hockey and roller hockey player who was drafted by Boston Bruins 126th overall in the 1990 NHL Entry Draft. He also competed at the IIHF InLine Hockey World Championship represent ...

* Jarret Zukiwsky * Aaron Galitzen

References

External links

San Diego Gulls seasons (West Coast Hockey League)
(1995–2003)
San Diego Gulls seasons (ECHL)
(2003–2006) *
San Diego Magazine: "Success Story on Ice" (2000)
{{DEFAULTSORT:San Diego Gulls (1995-2006) 1995 establishments in California 2006 disestablishments in California Defunct ECHL teams Defunct ice hockey teams in California Ice hockey clubs established in 1995 Ice hockey clubs disestablished in 2006 Ice hockey teams in San Diego West Coast Hockey League teams Anaheim Ducks minor league affiliates Colorado Avalanche minor league affiliates