San Diego Gulls Recall Blake McLaughlin and Luka Profaca From Tulsa
Mar 1, 2024The San Diego Gulls announced today the American Hockey League (AHL) club recalled left wing Blake McLaughlin and defenseman Luka Profaca from the Tulsa Oilers of the ECHL.
McLaughlin, 24 (2/14/00), posted 6-9=15 points with a +5 rating in 10 games with Tulsa this season. He tallied an Oilers ECHL record 4-2=6 points on Feb. 24 vs. Idaho. He has recorded two assists (0-2=2) and 15 penalty minutes (PIM) in 22 games with San Diego this season. In 53 AHL games with the Gulls, he has posted 1-2=3 points with 27 PIM. McLaughlin recorded 14-20=34 points with 28 PIM in 43 games with Tulsa in 2022-23, ranking fourth among Oilers skaters in points and goals and tied for fourth in assists.
Selected by Anaheim in the third round of the 2018 draft (79th overall), McLaughlin recorded 38-67=105 points with a +9 rating and 113 PIM in 142 career NCAA games with the University of Minnesota (2018-22). In his senior season, the 6-0, 170-pound forward scored 13-20=33 points in 39 games, establishing single-season career highs in goals, assists and points while helping the Golden Gophers to the Frozen Four. He was a 2021-22 All-Big Ten Honorable Mention after ranking tied for second among Minnesota leaders and seventh among all Big Ten skaters in points.
McLaughlin earned 23-31=54 points in 65 games with the Chicago Steel of the United States Hockey League (USHL) from 2016-18, while scoring 3-4=7 points in seven 2018 Clark Cup Playoff games. He represented Team USA at the 2017 Ivan Hlinka Memorial and the 2017 World Junior A Challenge, where he earned a silver medal.
Profaca, 21 (3/30/02), recorded 3-9=12 points and 30 PIM in 26 games with Tulsa this season. He has skated in 10 games with the Gulls this season, picking up one assist (0-1=1) with a +5 rating. In 2022-23, he recorded 1-4=5 points with 45 PIM in 47 games with San Diego. The defenseman scored his first professional goal – and his first power-play tally – on Nov. 13, 2022, at Ontario and collected his first professional assist on Nov. 18, 2022, vs. Grand Rapids.
A native of Mississauga, Ontario, Profaca collected 5-35=40 points with a +9 rating and 81 PIM in 127 career Ontario Hockey League (OHL) games with Guelph from 2018-22. Profaca spent the majority of the 2018-19 season with the Brampton Bombers of the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League (GOJHL), earning 2-18=20 points in 41 games and All-Rookie Team honors.