San Diego Gulls | |
---|---|
City | San Diego, California |
Founded | 1995 |
Operated | 1995β2006 |
Home arena | San Diego Sports Arena |
Colors | Orange, white, black |
Franchise history | |
1995β2003 | San Diego Gulls ( WCHL) |
2003β2006 | San Diego Gulls ( ECHL) |
Championships | |
Regular season titles | 6 ( 1995β96, 1996β97, 1997β98, 1998β99, 2000β01, 2003β04) |
Division titles | 6 ( 1997β98, 1998β99, 1999β00, 2000β01, 2001β02, 2003β04) |
Taylor Cups | 5 ( 1995β96, 1996β97, 1997β98, 2000β01, 2002β03) |
The San Diego Gulls were a professional ice hockey team in the West Coast Hockey League (WCHL) and later in the ECHL. 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.
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 ECHL, formerly known as the East Coast Hockey League. In 2004, the Gulls became the ECHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche. The Gulls won the ECHL regular season title in 2003β04 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. [1]
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. Martinson left the Gulls and went on to coach the Rockford IceHogs of the UHL. Martin St. Amour, who was a star for the Gulls in their WCHL years replaced Martinson as head coach prior to the 2004β05 season. St. Amour stepped down in the middle of the 2005β06 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.
On June 30, 2006, the Gulls folded and released their players as free agents following years of unprofitable seasons. [2]
GULLS TO FORMALLY CEASE OPERATIONS FRIDAY β [ 06-29-2006] SAN DIEGO β 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 2006β07 season. [3]
Season | League | Championship(s) |
---|---|---|
1995β96 | WCHL | Taylor Cup β Playoff Champion, Founders Cup β Regular Season Champion |
1996β97 | WCHL | Taylor Cup β Playoff Champion, Founders Cup β Regular Season Champion |
1997β98 | WCHL | Taylor Cup β Playoff Champion, Founders Cup β Regular Season Champion |
2000β01 | WCHL | Taylor Cup β Playoff Champion, Founders Cup β Regular Season Champion |
2002β03 | WCHL | Taylor Cup β Playoff Champion |
2003β04 | ECHL | Brabham Cup β Regular Season Champion |
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
Season | League | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Coach | Playoffs |
1995β96 | WCHL | 58 | 49 | 7 | - | 2 | 100 | 350 | 232 | 1790 | 1st, WCHL | Steve Martinson | Won Taylor Cup, 3-1 ( Fresno) |
1996β97 | WCHL | 64 | 50 | 12 | - | 2 | 102 | 400 | 210 | 2571 | 1st, WCHL | Steve Martinson | Won Taylor Cup, 4-0 ( Anchorage) |
1997β98 | WCHL | 64 | 53 | 10 | - | 1 | 107 | 347 | 198 | 2680 | 1st, South | Steve Martinson | Won Taylor Cup, 4-1 ( Tacoma) |
1998β99 | WCHL | 71 | 45 | 19 | - | 7 | 97 | 342 | 242 | 2746 | 1st, South | Steve Martinson | Lost in finals, 2-4 (Tacoma) |
1999β00 | WCHL | 70 | 46 | 16 | - | 8 | 100 | 297 | 221 | 2234 | 1st, South | Steve Martinson | Lost in round 2, 1-3 ( Phoenix) |
2000β01 | WCHL | 72 | 50 | 17 | - | 5 | 105 | 263 | 192 | 2043 | 1st, South | Steve Martinson | Won Taylor Cup, 4-3 ( Idaho) |
2001β02 | WCHL | 72 | 47 | 22 | - | 3 | 97 | 255 | 209 | 2677 | 1st, South | Steve Martinson | Lost in round 2, 1-3 (Fresno) |
2002β03 | WCHL | 72 | 45 | 22 | - | 5 | 95 | 245 | 182 | 1930 | 2nd, WCHL | Steve Martinson | Won Taylor Cup, 4-3 (Fresno) |
2003β04 | ECHL | 72 | 49 | 13 | - | 10 | 108 | 240 | 177 | 1594 | 1st, Pacific | Steve Martinson | Lost in round 1, 0-3 (Alaska) |
2004β05 | ECHL | 72 | 35 | 29 | 4 | 4 | 78 | 206 | 222 | 1519 | 6th, West | Martin St. Amour | Missed playoffs |
2005β06 | ECHL | 72 | 34 | 30 | 4 | 4 | 76 | 213 | 214 | 1811 | 4th, Pacific | Martin St. Amour | Lost in round 2, 0-4 (Fresno) |
San Diego Gulls | |
---|---|
City | San Diego, California |
Founded | 1995 |
Operated | 1995β2006 |
Home arena | San Diego Sports Arena |
Colors | Orange, white, black |
Franchise history | |
1995β2003 | San Diego Gulls ( WCHL) |
2003β2006 | San Diego Gulls ( ECHL) |
Championships | |
Regular season titles | 6 ( 1995β96, 1996β97, 1997β98, 1998β99, 2000β01, 2003β04) |
Division titles | 6 ( 1997β98, 1998β99, 1999β00, 2000β01, 2001β02, 2003β04) |
Taylor Cups | 5 ( 1995β96, 1996β97, 1997β98, 2000β01, 2002β03) |
The San Diego Gulls were a professional ice hockey team in the West Coast Hockey League (WCHL) and later in the ECHL. 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.
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 ECHL, formerly known as the East Coast Hockey League. In 2004, the Gulls became the ECHL affiliate of the Colorado Avalanche. The Gulls won the ECHL regular season title in 2003β04 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. [1]
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. Martinson left the Gulls and went on to coach the Rockford IceHogs of the UHL. Martin St. Amour, who was a star for the Gulls in their WCHL years replaced Martinson as head coach prior to the 2004β05 season. St. Amour stepped down in the middle of the 2005β06 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.
On June 30, 2006, the Gulls folded and released their players as free agents following years of unprofitable seasons. [2]
GULLS TO FORMALLY CEASE OPERATIONS FRIDAY β [ 06-29-2006] SAN DIEGO β 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 2006β07 season. [3]
Season | League | Championship(s) |
---|---|---|
1995β96 | WCHL | Taylor Cup β Playoff Champion, Founders Cup β Regular Season Champion |
1996β97 | WCHL | Taylor Cup β Playoff Champion, Founders Cup β Regular Season Champion |
1997β98 | WCHL | Taylor Cup β Playoff Champion, Founders Cup β Regular Season Champion |
2000β01 | WCHL | Taylor Cup β Playoff Champion, Founders Cup β Regular Season Champion |
2002β03 | WCHL | Taylor Cup β Playoff Champion |
2003β04 | ECHL | Brabham Cup β Regular Season Champion |
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
Season | League | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | GF | GA | PIM | Finish | Coach | Playoffs |
1995β96 | WCHL | 58 | 49 | 7 | - | 2 | 100 | 350 | 232 | 1790 | 1st, WCHL | Steve Martinson | Won Taylor Cup, 3-1 ( Fresno) |
1996β97 | WCHL | 64 | 50 | 12 | - | 2 | 102 | 400 | 210 | 2571 | 1st, WCHL | Steve Martinson | Won Taylor Cup, 4-0 ( Anchorage) |
1997β98 | WCHL | 64 | 53 | 10 | - | 1 | 107 | 347 | 198 | 2680 | 1st, South | Steve Martinson | Won Taylor Cup, 4-1 ( Tacoma) |
1998β99 | WCHL | 71 | 45 | 19 | - | 7 | 97 | 342 | 242 | 2746 | 1st, South | Steve Martinson | Lost in finals, 2-4 (Tacoma) |
1999β00 | WCHL | 70 | 46 | 16 | - | 8 | 100 | 297 | 221 | 2234 | 1st, South | Steve Martinson | Lost in round 2, 1-3 ( Phoenix) |
2000β01 | WCHL | 72 | 50 | 17 | - | 5 | 105 | 263 | 192 | 2043 | 1st, South | Steve Martinson | Won Taylor Cup, 4-3 ( Idaho) |
2001β02 | WCHL | 72 | 47 | 22 | - | 3 | 97 | 255 | 209 | 2677 | 1st, South | Steve Martinson | Lost in round 2, 1-3 (Fresno) |
2002β03 | WCHL | 72 | 45 | 22 | - | 5 | 95 | 245 | 182 | 1930 | 2nd, WCHL | Steve Martinson | Won Taylor Cup, 4-3 (Fresno) |
2003β04 | ECHL | 72 | 49 | 13 | - | 10 | 108 | 240 | 177 | 1594 | 1st, Pacific | Steve Martinson | Lost in round 1, 0-3 (Alaska) |
2004β05 | ECHL | 72 | 35 | 29 | 4 | 4 | 78 | 206 | 222 | 1519 | 6th, West | Martin St. Amour | Missed playoffs |
2005β06 | ECHL | 72 | 34 | 30 | 4 | 4 | 76 | 213 | 214 | 1811 | 4th, Pacific | Martin St. Amour | Lost in round 2, 0-4 (Fresno) |