Gulls Set to Open 2025-26 Season in Coachella Valley
Oct 10, 2025
By Ashley Rubin/SanDiegoGulls.com
Hockey season is officially back.
The San Diego Gulls are set to open the 2025-26 season tonight on the road against the Coachella Valley Firebirds at Acrisure Arena (7 p.m. PDT; TV: AHLTV on FloHockey; Radio: Gulls Audio Network).
"We’re just starting our journey together," head coach Matt Mcllvane said. "It’s a new group with a lot of the same faces, but it’s not the same team. We get to go write our story. We all feel like we’ve got something to prove."
The Gulls 24-man roster includes 21 returning players and only three fresh faces. One fresh face includes forward Matthew Phillips, who signed a two-year standard player contract during the off-season. Phillips has posted 124-176=300 points in 339 career AHL games and ranks seventh among all AHL skaters in points, 11th in goals, and 12th in assists.
"The most fun I’ve had playing hockey has been on winning teams with everyone contributing," Phillips said. "For me, it’s just bringing it every single day and having fun too. It’s a blessing to play in this city and in front of the crowds we’ll have. I’m very fortunate to be here so I’m going to make the most of every day."
Cal Burke will also be hitting the ice with San Diego for the first time tonight after signing a one-year standard player contract on Monday. The forward has logged 56-76=132 career AHL points in 277 games played. Defenseman Nikolas Brouillard will play in his first game back with the Gulls following a two-year break from the team, with whom he logged his first three full AHL seasons. Brouillard ranks fifth in all-time Gulls AHL defensemen in points (22-70=92), fifth in assists (70), and fourth in PIM (279).
A notable veteran returning to the ice is Ryan Carpenter, the Gulls 2024-25 captain who will once again wear the “C” on his jersey to begin the season.
"We know we’re not going to play a perfect game, but we want to execute well and be hard to play against," Carpenter said. "We want to keep our focus small and, on our identity, and how we want to play. The result will take care of itself."
Goaltender Ville Husso will be back in the mix in net alongside Calle Clang to start the season. The veteran goalie spent training camp up in Anaheim and was reassigned to the Gulls roster on Wednesday.
The Gulls’ next faceoff will be their home opener at Pechanga Arena San Diego on Saturday Oct. 18 at 6 p.m. where they will take on the Henderson Silver Knights for the first time this season.