2023 San Diego Gulls Offseason Player Tracker

SEASON SYNOPSIS

The San Diego Gulls were looking to get a boost of motivation for the 2022-23 AHL season after luring long-time San Jose AHL affiliate head coach Roy Sommer away from the Sharks organization by hiring him as head coach on July 12, 2022.

The Gulls’ last place finish in the AHL Pacific Division (and league overall) was an underwhelming note for Sommer to go out on. San Diego went an anemic 20-49-3 on the season with just 43 points earned. Sommer announced his retirement from coaching on April 15.

37-year-old Matt McIlvane will take the reins behind the bench for the 2023-24 season.

Forward Rocco Grimaldi led the team in goals (27) and total points (56) even after being traded to Rockford on March 2. Grimaldi averaged over a point per game. The only other San Diego Gulls player to do that was left winger Chase De Leo (9G + 14A = 23 PTS in 22 GP), who was injured on opening night only to return on February 18 to finish the season. Defenseman Nikolas Brouillard notched 33 assists, good enough to lead the Gulls last year.

(List accurate as of Sept. 26th, 3:50pm PT)

UNDER CONTRACT AND RE-SIGNINGS

Forwards

• Judd Caulfield – First year of entry-level contract
• Chase De Leo – Last year of two-way NHL contract
• Glenn Gawdin – Last year of two-way NHL contract
• Josh Lopina – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Blake McLaughlin – Last year of entry-level contract
• Jacob Perreault – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Pavol Regenda – Last year of entry-level contract
• Brayden Tracey  – Last year of entry-level contract
• Luka Profaca – Signed to a one-year, standard AHL player contract on July 5
• Benoit-Olivier Groulx  – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 14

Defensemen

• Drew Helleson  – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract

Goaltenders

• Gage Alexander – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Calle Clang – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Lukáš Dostál – Signed a two-year NHL contract (23-24 is two-way, 24-25 is one-way) on July 16

NEW ADDITIONS

Forwards

• Nikita Nesterenko – Last year of entry-level contract (played for Anaheim and Boston College [NCAA] in 2022-23)
• Sasha Pastujov – First year of entry-level contract (entry-level slide; played for the Sarnia Sting and Guelph Storm in 2022-23)
• Jaxsen Wiebe – Signed three-year, entry-level NHL contract on March 2 (played with the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings and Prince George Cougars in 2022-23)
• Andrew Agozzino – Acquired via trade from San Jose on June 27
• Leo Carlsson – Signed a three-year, entry-level NHL contract* on July 12 (played for Örebro HK of the SHL in 2022-23)
• Eddie Matsushima – Signed a one-year AHL contract on July 31 (played for ECHL Tulsa in 2022-23)
• Kyle Crnkovic –  Signed a one-year AHL contract on August 14 (played for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL in 2022-23)

Defensemen

• Tyson Hinds – First year of entry-level contract (entry-level slide; played for the Sherbrooke Phoenix of the QMJHL in 2022-23)
• Pavel Mintyukov – First year of entry-level contract (entry-level slide; played for the Ottawa 67’s and Saginaw Spirit of the OHL in 2022-23)
• Olen Zellweger – First year of entry-level contract (entry-level slide; played for the Everett Silvertips and Kamloops Blazers of the WHL in 2022-23)
• Jackson LaCombe – Signed a two-year, entry-level NHL contract on April 10 (played for Anaheim and the Univ. of Minnesota [NCAA] in 2022-23)
• Trevor Carrick – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 1 (played for the Syracuse Crunch in 2022-23
• Nick Wolff – Signed to a one-year, standard AHL player contract on July 5 (played for the Providence Bruins in 2022-23)
• Anthony Constantini – Signed a one-year AHL contract on July 31 (played for the Ottawa 67’s of the OHL in 2022-23)
• Andy Carroll – Signed a one-year AHL contract on August 14 (played for Abbotsford on an ATO and Minnesota State Univ.-Mankato [NCAA] in 2022-23)

Head Coach

• Matt McIlvane – Named new head coach on April 25 (previously coached EC Red Bull Salzburg of the ICEHL in 2022-23)

DEPARTURES

Forwards

• Brent Gates Jr. – Signed a one-year contract with HK Nitra (Slovakia) on June 1
• Dmitri Osipov – KHL rights traded from Ak Bars Kazan to SKA St. Petersburg on June 1
• Josiah Slavin – Signed a one-year AHL contract with the Toronto Marlies on July 9
• Justin Kirkland – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract with Arizona on July 15
• Bryce Kindopp – Signed a one-year AHL contract with the Rockford IceHogs on August 21 (was not extended qualifying offer on June 30)
• Dylan Sikura – Signed a one-year contract with Skellefteå AIK of the SHL on September 7
• David Cotton – Signed a one-year contract with ECHL Florida on September 18

Defensemen

• Axel Andersson – Signed a two-year contract with Djurgårdens IF of HockeyAllsvenskan on May 17
• Evan Weinger – Signed a one-year contract with the Vienna Capitals of the ICEHL on May 30 (played for San Diego and ECHL Tulsa in 2022-23)
• Nikolas Brouillard  – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract with the New York Rangers on July 1
• Josh Healey – Signed a one-year AHL contract with Rockford on July 4
• Chase Priskie – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract with Washington on July 5
• Andrej Šustr – Signed a one-year contract with Kölner Haie of the DEL on July 10; NHL rights traded to San Jose on June 27
• Michael Del Zotto – Announced retirement on September 6
• Olli Juolevi – Signed a PTO with Arizona on September 13; released from PTO on September 26

Goaltenders

• Olle Eriksson Ek – Signed a two-year contract with MoDo Hockey of the SHL on May 8

Head Coach

• Roy Sommer – Retired after 25 years of coaching in the AHL

FREE AGENTS

Forwards

• Travis Howe – UFA (AHL)

(Special thanks to CapFriendly and Elite Prospects for all the contract terms and definitions for this offseason player tracker!)

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Other 2023 AHL Off Season Trackers :

Links will be updated as articles are released.

Central

• Chicago Wolves
• Grand Rapids Griffins
• Iowa Wild
• Manitoba Moose
• Milwaukee Admirals
• Rockford IceHogs
• Texas Stars

Pacific

• Abbotsford Canucks
• Bakersfield Condors
• Calgary Wranglers
• Coachella Valley Firebirds
• Colorado Eagles
• Henderson Silver Knights
• Ontario Reign
• San Diego Gulls
• San Jose Barracuda
• Tucson Roadrunners

Atlantic

• Bridgeport Islanders
• Charlotte Checkers
• Hartford Wolf Pack
• Hershey Bears
• Lehigh Valley Phantoms
• Providence Bruins
• Springfield Thunderbirds 
• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

North

• Belleville Senators
• Cleveland Monsters
• Laval Rocket
• Rochester Americans
• Syracuse Crunch
• Toronto Marlies
• Utica Comets