Nikolas Brouillard Returns to the San Diego Gulls
Oct 15, 2025
By Ashley Rubin/SanDiegoGulls.com
After a two-year stint away, Nikolas Brouillard has returned to the San Diego Gulls for the 2025-26 season. The offensively productive defenseman known for his gritty play rejoins the roster with high expectations as he logs his fourth year on the team.
The 5-foot-10, 172-pound Quebec native played for San Diego from 2020 to 2023. He made a large impact for the Gulls, recording a total of 22 goals, 70 assists, and 279 penalty minutes in 167 regular-season games. He also appeared in five playoff games between 2020-22, where he logged three assists. Brouillard holds the lead in all-time Gulls defensemen for points and assists with 76 total points (37-39=76) and holds the third-place spot for goals (22).
"The three years I was here, I loved all of it," Brouillard said. "It’s a great organization, they treat the players well, the fans are great, the facilities nice, and the city is unbelievable. Everything about the organization I love, and I know they built something good over the last couple of seasons."
Following the 2022-2023 season, Brouillard signed with the New York Rangers, skating for their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack. The following year, Brouillard played with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, after being traded from the Rangers to the Seattle Kraken.
On July 2, 2025, the Gulls picked back up the unrestricted free agent, signing him to a one-year standard player contract.
"Nik just was dying to come back to San Diego and the opportunity presented itself for us to go out and grab him which I thought was a great get by [general manager Rick Paterson]," head coach Matt Mcllvane said. "Bringing a guy like him in brings a lot of different elements to your team. He’s a guy who has some offensive ability, has played different positions in the past, and has leadership ability. The biggest thing is it’s just another great human to add to the group that is driving for success."
Brouillard finished the 2024-25 season with seven goals, 31 assists, 55 penalty minutes, and a +3 rating in 69 games played with the Coachella Valley Firebirds. He skated in six playoff games where he recorded one assist and six penalty minutes. He co-led Firebirds defensemen in points and goals (7-31=38).
Brouillard’s abilities as a defenseman and additional offensive production are expected to help the Gulls hold a better record this season. He can play both up and down in the lineup, allowing more flexibility for the team.
"I started my career here as a forward, and I’m always going to be grateful for that because that’s what got me into the league here," Brouillard said. "For the past three years I’ve played as a defenseman, and I’ve done a really good job. I think I’ve improved my game all around and that’s for sure where I want to play. We talked about it with the general manager and Matt, and if we ever needed me to go up front, I’ll do it with pleasure."
Brouillard will make his first appearance back at Pechanga Arena San Diego on Saturday, Oct. 18 for the Gulls Home Opener.