San Diego Hockey History

HOCKEY IN SAN DIEGO
>> Max McNab and Bob Breitbard inspecting progress at San Diego International Sports Center (Left). Gulls goal celebration in 1994-95 (Middle).
Faceoff at San Diego Sports Arena, March 29, 1997 vs. Bakersfield Fog (Right).
Professional hockey in San Diego has a rich history,
The San Diego Skyhawks won the 1948-49 President’s Cup
dating to the San Diego Skyhawks of the Pacific Coast
with Morden “Ducky” Skinner behind the bench. In their
Hockey League in 1944. San Diego has been home to
six seasons playing in the downtown San Diego Glacier
several professional teams and leagues through the years,
Gardens, the Skyhawks posted a combined record of 156-
including the aforementioned Skyhawks (1944-50), Gulls
151-17. Glacier Gardens was located at Harbor Drive and
of the Western Hockey League (1966-74), Mariners of the
Eighth Avenue, adjacent to the present-day PETCO Park.
Western Hockey Association (1974-77) and Pacific Hockey
League (1977-78), Hawks of the PHL (1978-79), and Gulls
In 1966, San Diego was awarded a Western Hockey League
of the International Hockey League (1990-95), West Coast
franchise after the completion of the San Diego Sports
Hockey League (1995-03) and ECHL (2003-06). San Di-
Arena. Following a write-in contest for the team name, the
ego hockey teams have won six championships, including
Gulls and mascot Sandy Gull were born. The WHL Gulls
the 1948-49 PCHL Championship (Skyhawks), and WCHL
played eight seasons at the Sports Arena from 1966-74,
Championships in 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 2000-01
led by General Manager/Head Coach Max McNab for the
and 2002-03 (Gulls).
first six seasons and Head Coach Jack Evans for the final
1944
1966
1974
1978
1990
1995
2003
2015
?
two campaigns. McNab, father to current Anaheim Ducks
scoring title with 38-41=79 points in his second season
the Sports Arena from 1990-95, going 216-149-44 and quali-
the Los Angeles Kings (Ontario, Calif.), San Jose Sharks
Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations David McNab,
with the Gulls in 1968-69.
fying for the playoffs in four of five years. The IHL Gulls set a
(San Jose, Calif.), Calgary Flames (Stockton, Calif.) and
professional hockey record for most wins in a single season,
Edmonton Oilers (Bakersfield, Calif.) in the newly created
served as Gulls General Manager for all eight seasons. The
Gulls drew more than 315,000 fans for their inaugural
In 1974, hockey returned to San Diego with a Western
going 62-12-8 en route to the Fred A. Huber Trophy with an
AHL Pacific Division. The Ducks’ AHL affiliate will play
season in 1966-67 as one of the top draws in the city of San
Hockey Association team, the San Diego Mariners. The
IHL-record 132 standings points in 1992-93.
their home games at Valley View Casino Center (formerly
Diego. They debuted on Nov. 17, 1966 with a 4-1 victory
Mariners played three seasons at the Sports Arena from
over the Seattle Totems in front of a sellout crowd at the
1974-77, posting a record of 119-106-14 over their three
In 1995, San Diego’s IHL franchise was relocated to Los
San Diego Sports Arena.
seasons in the WHA, which disbanded following the 1976-
Angeles, but the Gulls remained as a member of the newly
77 campaign. Hockey remained in San Diego the following
created West Coast Hockey League. The WCHL Gulls
Perhaps the most prolific player in the history of San Diego
two seasons as a Pacific Hockey League affiliate, first as the
won five league championships in 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001
hockey was forward Willie O’Ree, who played seven of the
Mariners (in 1977-78) and later as the San Diego Hawks
and 2003 before joining the ECHL for three seasons from
Gulls’ eight WHL seasons from 1967-73. O’Ree, who had
(1978-79). O’Ree returned to San Diego as a member of the
2003-06. San Diego’s final season of professional hockey
broken the NHL’s color barrier as a member of the Boston
Hawks in his final professional season in 1978-79, collect-
came in 2005-06 with the ECHL’s Gulls.
Bruins, scored 153-161=314 points in 407 career games
ing 21-25=46 points in 53 games.
with the Gulls. He also made seven consecutive trips to
the San Diego Sports Arena) near downtown San Diego,
On Jan. 29, 2015, the Anaheim Ducks announced that
the WHL Playoffs with the Gulls from 1968-74, collecting
The Southern California expansion of the International
the club would purchase the Norfolk Admirals American
19-17=36 points in 40 postseason games. Wearing No. 20,
Hockey League in the 1990s returned hockey and the Gulls
Hockey League franchise and relocate it from Norfolk,
O’Ree scored a career-tying 38 goals and won the WHL
nickname to San Diego. The Gulls played five IHL seasons at
Va., to San Diego, Calif. The Ducks joined affiliates from
beginning this fall (start of 2015-16 season).
HOCKEY IN SAN DIEGO
BY THE NUMBERS
San Diego Hockey Season-by-Season
Championships
SEASON TEAM
LEAGUEGP W-L-T/OTL
SEASONTEAM
LEAGUE
1944-45
San Diego Skyhawks
PCHL
18
11-7-0
1948-49
San Diego Skyhawks
PCHL
1945-46
San Diego Skyhawks
PCHL
40
21-19-0
1995-96
San Diego Gulls
WCHL
1946-47
San Diego Skyhawks
PCHL
60
33-26-1
1996-97
San Diego Gulls
WCHL
1947-48
San Diego Skyhawks
PCHL
66
32-31-3
1997-98
San Diego Gulls
WCHL
1948-49
San Diego Skyhawks
PCHL
70
32-35-3
2000-01
San Diego Gulls
WCHL
1949-50
San Diego Skyhawks
PCHL
70
27-33-10
2002-03
San Diego Gulls
WCHL
1966-67
San Diego Gulls
WHL
72
22-47-3
1967-68
San Diego Gulls
WHL
72
31-36-5
1968-69
San Diego Gulls
WHL
74
33-29-12
1969-70
San Diego Gulls
WHL
72
33-29-10
1970-71
San Diego Gulls
WHL
72
33-27-12
1971-72
San Diego Gulls
WHL
72
32-31-9
1972-73
San Diego Gulls
WHL
72
32-29-11
1973-74
San Diego Gulls
WHL
78
40-33-5
1974-75
San Diego Mariners
WHA
78
43-31-4
1975-76
San Diego Mariners
WHA
80
36-38-6
1976-77
San Diego Mariners
WHA
81
40-37-4
1977-78
San Diego Mariners
PHL
42
20-22-0
1978-79
San Diego Hawks
PHL
58
34-22-2
1990-91
San Diego Gulls
IHL
83
30-45-8-0*
1991-92
San Diego Gulls
IHL
82
45-28-2-7*
1992-93
San Diego Gulls
IHL
82
62-12-1-7*
1993-94
San Diego Gulls
IHL
81
42-28-11-0*
1994-95
San Diego Gulls
IHL
81
37-36-8-0*
1995-96
San Diego Gulls
WCHL
58
49-7-2
1996-97
San Diego Gulls
WCHL
64
50-12-2
1997-98
San Diego Gulls
WCHL
64
53-10-1
1998-99
San Diego Gulls
WCHL
71
45-19-7
1999-00
San Diego Gulls
WCHL
70
46-16-8
2000-01
San Diego Gulls
WCHL
72
50-17-5
2001-02
San Diego Gulls
WCHL
72
47-22-3
2002-03
San Diego Gulls
WCHL
72
45-22-5
2003-04
San Diego Gulls
ECHL
72
49-13-0-10*
2004-05
San Diego Gulls
ECHL
72
35-29-4-4*
2005-06
San Diego Gulls
ECHL
72
34-30-4-4*
*The IHL and ECHL recognized OTL and SOL, separately

Download Report