San Diego Gulls 2024-2025 Player Grades

Welcome to the San Diego Gulls 2024-2025 Player Grades. Another year, another season ended without the invite to the postseason dance. As I stated in my final post game notes – on paper it didn’t look like the Gulls improved much on last year but – much as I say every year – I believe there is still hope for a massive turn around next season.

As the sun sets on another playoff-less Gulls season it does in a way – much like the Ducks did this year – feel like they are on the upwards trajectory despite the results and lack of postseason dance. They finished the season with 66 points and a 28-35-5-3 record good for second to last in the division, fourth to last in the conference and fifth to last in the league. Last season they finished with 63 points and a 26-35-10-1 record, second to last in the division, fourth to last in the conference and fifth to last in the league. On paper it does not look like they improved much and the Ducks have to be looking at the drastic improvement of the Barracuda and wondering where they went wrong but at the same time – and I know I say this every year – but if they can bring back the veterans they had this year as well as those they acquired, I can see them making massive improvements next season. Given what happens every off-season that is a big if and if they don’t bring back those veterans well then you can pretty much guarantee the same result next year…

As always I will do this years San Diego Gulls 2024-2025 Player Grades in alphabetical order in the hopes that I don’t miss anybody, some I may miss on purpose due to sample size and some because I was pressed for time or did not feel they were relevant. I may or may not throw in some unofficial awards to those that I saw that stood out in my eyes such as in previous years.

Different Year Same Story: Just like last year – this list of player grades consists of only 11 out of 25 players returning from the previous season.

Veterans Andrew Agozzino, Trevor Carrick, Chase De Leo, Glenn Gawdin, Colton White, Robert Hagg and Nick Wolff all moved on while Luka Profaca, Ben King, Blake McLaughlin and Brayden Tracey were not qualified and allowed to walk. Drew Helleson and Olen Zellweger graduated to the Ducks and Pavol Regenda was dealt mid season for Justin Bailey. Meaning it was once again a high turnover roster that featured just 12 out of 25 that earned a main write-up last season. The above players were understandably not included in this years San Diego Gulls 2024-2025 Player Grades.

He didn’t start the season well in San Jose after not making the big club – he registered just 14 points in 33 games with the Barracuda before being dealt to the Gulls in January where he then put up three points in his first two games.

He lead the team in first goals on the board – catching opposing sides with his speed right out of the gate. But he was also clutch – memorably scoring a game winning goal over his former club and finished the year with two game winning goals.

I loved him for his speed and sporadic physicality that sometimes led to drawing penalties as opposing players took issue with his hard punishing hits.

Of all the players the Gulls acquired or offered try-outs to this season, I feel he is the most important to bring back. He is at the conclusion of a one year deal that he signed with the Sharks in the last off-season and will likely require a two-way deal at minimum but could ask for a one-way deal.

Carpenter had big shoes to fill after the Gulls Captain of the last two seasons – Chase De Leo; was quietly pushed aside by management after being plagued by injury during his tenure with the C on his jersey. De Leo was likable in the locker room and off the ice among fans. From what I can gather from fans I have spoken to regarding interactions they have seen with Carpenter – he does not quite have the same… vibe.

I would hazard a guess that Carpenter would have had some say in the Dionicio tenure ending earlier than expected this season among other behind closed door decisions that were made.

With all of that said – he was a strong and reliable Captain, knowing from the start that the assignment was leading this young team and a call-up was never on the cards. He finished the year with 49 points in 72 games, just a step below the career year of 55 points in 66 games he put up in his sophomore year in 2015-2016. He finished the year tied for second on the team in goal scoring and second in scoring but most notably lead by example in being there when his team needed him – with the most game winning goals on the squad (four).

He was not afraid to go to the net, never backed down from a battle in front and contributed more greasy goals than most Gulls forwards have done in recent memory which in turn you could see inspired the same results from youngsters like Coulson Pitre and Nico Myatovic. A hugely important piece of the man advantage – second on the team in Power Play assists with ten, he used his big frame to dig out loose pucks or win battles to dish to an open man.

He has one year left on his AHL only deal and offers much needed stability for a team that needs to stay largely together after constant roster changes year after year.

I thought Caulfields season was done when he left the game with what appeared to be a likely concussion after he was leveled by an open-ice hit that saw shoulder to head contact against the Condors on February the 22nd. But he returned to play on the fifth of March in San Jose and did not show much sign of rust or ill-effects from the upper body injury as he scored a goal in his return to action.

He largely showed a lot of what we saw of him last season – just on a more consistent basis; surprising speed and hands for a big man and some snarl that earned more than a few penalties drawn in retaliation from foes.

What did not show on the scoresheet this year was how important a play-driver he is as his line and the Gulls by association clearly missed him after he was sidelined in the midst of their climb from the cellar of the division. Power Forwards do traditionally take a lot longer to develop and although the numbers for this season do not look like much improvement or development has been made, I would look to this as a blip on the radar.

Caulfield is now an RFA after completing his two year entry deal but look for him to be qualified and continue his tutelage under Coach McIlvane as he develops into an important depth piece critical for a Stanley Cup run that the Ducks hope is in their near future.

It was a rough start for Clang behind a Gulls team that once again struggled out of the gate. Luckily for him – his veteran tandem partner signed in response to the Suchanek injury; fared no better and the two of them faltered game after game until Clang finally round a rhythm to string together four straight wins in December.

The Ducks goal-tending depth was tested at various points during the season which saw Clang recalled on separate occasions but he is yet to make his NHL debut either in relief or as a starter.

Clang did improve this season as the numbers show and after his slow start he proved himself a reliable starter just a step below the NHL veteran Ville Husso but much less of a risk than the unpredictable Dansk.

Like Caulfield – who was acquired and signed in the same season – Clang is now an RFA having concluded his two year entry level deal. The Ducks have shown in the past that they are not afraid to cut ties with a developing goaltender early in their career but I cannot see any reason why they should not at least qualify Clang to give him at minimum a one year deal or attempt to lock him up for longer on a cost effective two way contract. With Suchanek returning to the Gulls next season he will by all indications take a back seat to the undrafted Czech goaltender but competition is healthy and those two could and should make one of the better AHL tandems next season if they can both stay healthy.

The most consistent of Gulls forwards all season he was kept off the scoresheet just 14 times and had multi point efforts in 11 of his 40 games played in San Diego – including a two goal, two assist night in their final game of the season against Coachella Valley.

Called up for spot-duty and injury cover at points during the year he was finally given a semi-permanent roster spot after the Ducks announced Robby Fabri out for the season on February 27th. Colangelo did not look back, contributing 12 points in 32 games – setting career highs in goals (ten) and assists (2).

Second only to Ryan Carpenter in Game Winning Goals – he potted three on the year and was visibly a threat any time he stepped on the ice for the Gulls. His shot was deadly and gave the Gulls Power Play a distinct advantage if they so chose to load up both he and either Sidorov or Pastujov on opposite side-boards.

I doubt we see him in a Gulls sweater again barring of-course the Ducks making some big splashes in the off-season free agency market that then have the roll on effect of seeing him fall back down the depth chart to San Diego. He is another RFA having concluded is entry level deal and will be looking for a significant pay rise while the Ducks will look to try lock him up to a multi year two way deal while he is still exempt from waivers.

He did display some of the dominance that earned him NHL time during stints in the Vegas organization but it was not consistent and frustrating to watch. You got the sense that the players in front of him felt the same way. You never knew which Dansk you were going to get and until he made those first few saves you found yourself wincing at every opposition chance.

He was brought in on a one year deal that has expired with the conclusion of the season to make him once again a UFA and I can guarantee* we will not be seeing him back next season.

*Barring some other catastrophic bad luck hitting another goalie in the Ducks organization.

Finishing behind Solberg with the second highest shooting percentage on the team (15.6%) Dionicio impressed early on – displaying risky head fakes and shifty edge work to lose a defender at the blue line and create a lane for himself to the net. He tried to apply similar tactics in his own end to lose fore-checkers but often found himself on the end of more than a few large turnover-creating hits. Eventually it appeared his only lesson learned from this was to panic the puck away under pressure – creating even more dangerous turnovers until one day he not only made one of these such turnovers but then gave up on the play entirely other than a weak stick check to try get the puck back. He was healthy scratched for eight straight games after this – in favor of Roman Kinal – and when I went back to analyze the play in question I saw what looked like an altercation on the bench after he ended his shift. He was assigned to Tulsa at the end of January and then sent to Switzerland before he could even report to Tulsa.

Dionicio is fun to watch when he was on his game – he is an exciting talent and loves to throw a big hit; sometimes letting his emotions get the better of him as noted when he was suspended for one game for some rather unsportsmanlike play after the final whistle, he also picked up two ten minute misconducts in two of his final three games with the Gulls before he was sent to Europe. He made no friends of the Officials – seen to be visibly upset and questioning of calls often and on a couple occasions even stopping mid-play to stop and stare at them when he did not get a whistle. I get the feeling the Ducks wanted him to stay in San Diego all season but that there was some frustration there with the coaches messages not getting through.

Did the issues arise when the Gulls lost one of their Assistant Coaches midseason? Do the Ducks and Gulls try him again in San Diego this coming season hopefully with a defensive coach than can better stabilize and mentor him? Let us hope so – because when he was feeling it – he was a legit threat to turn a game on it’s head.

Despite the unfavorable end of year numbers and a lower point per game clip than his rookie season he earned praise from McIvane for his development and defensive play and I tend to agree. Interestingly – of the eight goals on the year he scored, three of them were Insurance markers, second only behind Nikita Nesterenko.

What Gaucher brings in night in and night out doesn’t always show on the scoresheet, when the Gulls were struggling (which was usually when the Caulfield line was having an off night or earlier in the season before that line really started clicking) it was always Gauchers line that was driving play for the Gulls by keeping it simple. Getting the puck in deep, delivering some punishing hits on the defenders attempting to break it out and hope for a turnover in the process. It didn’t always work but on the nights that it did it was better than nothing – which was largely the Gulls speed and transition game getting shut down through the neutral zone.

He was also a key face-off man while healthy and will look to pick up where he left off as a reliable asset in the face-off dot when he returns for his third pro season next year.

Ducks fans would have liked to have seen more progression from him this year and you can bet the trade-rumors will start swirling if that doesn’t improve next season but I feel there is no rush here, his entry level contract now has two years left and the Ducks still have Isac Lundestrom providing defensive center duties until they feel Gaucher is ready.

Generally paired with one of the first year defenders and almost exclusively one that leaned more offensively – Heatherington saved the bacon of countless team-mates all season. He also kept opposing combatants earnest – providing a deterrent for those who might try to target one of the Gulls young star defenders – particularly Tristan Luneau who he spent much of the season paired with except when he was sidelined with a lower body injury in December.

Heatherington was signed to a one year AHL only deal so will be looking for a new deal for the next season – with Tristan Luneau likely graduating full time to Anaheim next season it is unclear whether management opt to bring him back or not but with Rodwin Dionicio possibly returning and requiring a strong mentor it would make sense for the Ducks to keep him in the fold.

A dependable Swiss-Army knife – Hinds was paired with almost everybody throughout the season, seeing stints with McKeown, Luneau, Biakabutuka, Lucas, Moore and most often Warren.

Showing massive improvement in the defensive side of his game Hinds kept up the offense – putting a total 96 shots on net on the season, tenth on the team and third by defenders. Interestingly – three of his four goals were all game openers, indicating that Hinds loves to get involved in the offense early. He set career highs in all three categories of goals, assists and points but likely felt a little hard-done by that he didn’t compile more with the amount of chances he had throughout the season.

He was also most often found deep in the opposing teams zone on the fore-check, something he rarely got burned for and by seasons end was such a consistent occurrence it made me wonder if the Ducks might go the Hunter Drew route and try him at forward next season. He has an ever-increasing log-jam of talented blue-liners on the depth chart in front of him and perhaps making the switch to forward is the only option. That said – game by game he reminds me of a young Marcus Petterson, an all round smooth skating blue liner that is above average on both sides of the puck, great with the first pass and quick to get the puck going in transition.

Next season is the last year left on his entry level deal and he will be looking to make an impression in the hopes of making his NHL debut but needless to say it is make or break for the Ducks 2021 third round selection as Anaheim starts to transition with a quickly developing defensive core that will soon be the envy of the league.

Depending on who he was flanked by on the fourth line it was always a mystery as to whether or not he would be a liability or spark for the Gulls. Earlier in the season he was most often a liability but later during stints paired with hard-working big bodies from Tulsa like Easton Brodizinski he showed some of the best offense he has in a San Diego sweater.

I mentioned him as a De-facto leader in the opening line above because I believe it took the young core some time to adjust to their new Captain this season who seemed light-and-day completely different from the easy-going Chase De Leo. Howe was still looked up to by a lot of the youngsters for advice and behind the scenes I believe stood up for the likes of Dionicio before he was sent to Europe.

A fan favorite – he has already been confirmed to be back next season to provide his ongoing steadying presence, what I would like to see more of is some repercussions for those that go after the Gulls talented forwards.

Signed to a one year two-way AHL deal in the off-season I largely wrote him off as a depth defender that would spend most of the year in Tulsa but he earned the trust of the Gulls coaching staff early on to stay in the line-up over the likes of Rodwin Dionicio and sometimes even Noah Warren.

Kinal didn’t jump off the page as an explosive game-changer, nor did he wow you with shifty skating or stick work but he did play a mistake-free game that allowed the Gulls to escape danger largely unharmed whenever he was on the ice. He was a -3 which is pretty good considering the amount of games he played, ice time he saw and assignments he was given. For comparison Dillon Heatherington was also a -3, Tristan Luneau was a -4, Tyson Hinds a -9 and Noah Warren a -10.

I’d say this was a very good try-out year for Kinal and he clearly has the coaches favor in receiving another deal to stay with the Gulls organization. With more bodies arriving on the blue line in the form of Ian Moore, Stian Solberg, Konnor Smith and the possible return of Rodwin Dionicio it is going to get very crowded very fast but the Gulls know what they have in the steady Kinal so I can see them at least attempting to bring him back.

I would love to have given Lopina a nicer send-off but this is the second time he has received an F and his effort has just not been consistent enough.

With his entry level deal expiring he is now an RFA but likely becomes a UFA as I can’t see the Ducks giving him a qualifying offer.

Picking up two assists in his second game with the Gulls the numbers started to pick up as the ice time increased and by the end of March he was in the top ten of rookie scoring as well as co-leading the AHL in scoring for the month of February with 16 points in 11 games. He made the AHL All-Rookie Team as well as representing the Gulls at the All Star game and finished the season as the second player in Gulls history to record 48 points in a season and the first to do so since Brandon Montour, his 41 assists were the second-most by a defender again since Montour compiled 45 in his club record setting season in 2015-2016.

He cooled off at the start of April – just as the Gulls were starting to fall too far back from the chase for the final playoff spot in the Pacific but finished strong with four points in the final two games of the season.

Compared to other young prospects on the squad – Luneau already has an NHL frame and seemed to enjoy frustrating opponents that attempted to get him off his game by giving him extra physical attention. His 6’2″ 215lb body could handle the punishment given and hand it right back, catching a lot of fore-checkers off guard.

The Ducks blue line is still fairly crowded – even after the mid season trade of Cam Fowler but Luneau has proved he is ready for full-time NHL duty. He would only be back in San Diego next year if there is simply no room for his development on the Ducks. Here is hoping for Gulls fans sake – that might be the case…

Despite not playing with the Gulls last year – I give him my most improved player of the year award simply because I didn’t expect the production that he had this season. He was the perfect all-rounder veteran. Starting the year paired with Dionicio, spending lengthy stints with others such as Lucas, Kinal and spot duty with newcomers like Solberg he provided a consistent steadying presence no matter who he was paired with.

Deceptively quick on the back-check to break up more than one potential high danger play when his defensive partner made an error he was perhaps the Gulls best defender not named Tristan Luneau.

Signed to a two year AHL only deal – the good news is he will definitely be back next year to continue to mentor and most probably will be paired with either Dionicio or Solberg next season.

Starting the season well – he put up seven points in his first eight games including three goals during that span but was sidelined by a lower body injury at the end of November. Returning to the line-up in the final game before the All Star break he instantly contributed, picking up two points and as the Gulls were making their usual post-All-Star-break push he put together a four game point streak – putting up six points during the span.

He stayed relatively hot up until injury forced him from the line-up once again in mid February, putting up another six points in the ten games before his injury and remained out for the rest of the season – with the club announcing he had undergone successful ACL surgery in March.

Given he was an almost point per game player he was dearly missed whenever he was not in the line-up which as it turns out – was more than two thirds of the season.

He will be looking for another contract but it would be understandable if the Ducks were a little gun-shy given he is coming off major knee surgery. If they do elect to bring him back I do think it would be a good idea, near point-per-game veterans in the AHL can be hard to come by and even though competition for forward spots might be tight next year given the noise suggesting the Ducks will be aggressive in Free Agency – you can never have too many options.

He spent most of the start of the season in the bottom six and the first couple of months pinned to the fourth line but after scoring his first AHL goal just before Christmas his visibly increased confidence saw him elevated to the top two lines and by seasons end he did not look out of place on the top line as Coach McIlvane utilised his ability to get in on the fore-check and force turnovers to complement veterans Ryan Carpenter and Justin Bailey.

He had his first multi-point night in mid January against Iowa but went quiet in the month that followed – going pointless for thirteen straight games including the entire month of February. He broke his scoring drought and started to pick up points again towards the seasons end, netting two goals in a contest with the Silver Knights in March and put together his first point-streak when he tallied five points through four games in late March and early April which is about when he found himself on the top line.

He finished the year fourth in rookie scoring on the Gulls and one of ten players to score ten or more goals on the year.

Myatovic is as advertised from his draft profile – a strong two-way forward who excels on the fore-check, using his long reach to great effect on the penalty kill and can get his lanky 6’2″ frame around the ice with surprising speed to beat out icing calls or slide into soft areas unnoticed

He won’t wow you with highlight reel puck handling or spin-o-rama moves and didn’t stand out particularly as a play-driver on any line he was placed on this season but he was just as important in creating chances with his ability to force turnovers. What impressed me the most was how willing and able he was to take a beating to make a play, something most first year players shy away from – Myatovic took a glass-shaking hit just as often as he dished them and didn’t seem to let him bother him in the slightest.

This was the first year of his three year entry level deal and he will look to improve upon a first year that saw him move up the line-up from the bottom to the top line, if Justin Bailey is brought back (as he should be) I would think the trio of Myatovic, Carpenter and Bailey will be kept together in 2025-2026.

Which is exactly what he did this year and to great affect – his line of Judd Caulfield and Sasha Pastujov was one of the most deadly all season and when both Caulfield and Pastujov were out with injury the Gulls struggled to generate offense simply due to how well the trio drove play.

The historical “Perreault vs Mysak” measuring stick will always factor into any conversation surrounding him but so far it firmly looks like as though the Ducks won that deal as Mysak realised yet more scoring potential – setting career highs in all categories and falling just two goals shy of a twenty goal season. The “two way forward” finished fourth on the team in goal scoring, fourth in assists and fourth in points. as well as second in shots. He also shared the crown for most shorthanded goals scored with Ryan Carpenter, each netting two a piece.

Night in and night out he was the Gulls hardest working forward, not letting size disparity get in the way of his relentless pursuit of the puck as he battled in the offensive zone or bravely led outnumbered rushes in the neutral zone to get the puck deep while his line-mates changed behind him.

This was the last year of his entry level deal making him an RFA but the Ducks would be foolish not to qualify him – particularly given what they gave up to acquire him and the fact that his contract is very reasonable.

When Colangelo went down with injury in Anaheim – he was called up and saw 20 games of NHL action – scoring a career high four goals, two assists and six points.

He has NHL speed and this year used it to great effect both on the offensive side of the puck and the defensive, proving himself as an elite tier AHL player that is on the cusp of consistent NHL minutes.

Perfectly encapsulating the kind of hard working forward that Pat Verbeek has been using as base-plate in reshaping the Ducks in his image – Nesterenko is a player loved by coaches and team-mates alike, reliable in all situations he co-led the team in Empty Net tallies with four to further prove that he is the kind of guy you want on the ice to close out a game in the dying minutes.

In a normal Ducks off-season I would be writing that both he and Colangelo have likely played their last game in a Gulls sweater but given the indications about how the Ducks wish to approach free-agency to end their postseason drought it may mean that Nesterenko spends more time in San Diego.

He becomes an RFA after completing his entry level deal and will be looking for a significant raise given how productive he was in the NHL with the limited time he was given. He also has 48 games of waiver exemption left meaning the Ducks really do need to make a call on his future this coming season.

He was the Oilers only plus point per game player – totaling 16 points in 12 games of action before more than earning his recall to San Diego in mid November.

It took him some time to settle in but once he got going he became unstoppable, putting together back to back point streaks of five and thirteen games respectively, compiling 28 points over that span and given the AHL player of the month award in January.

Adding the play-maker moniker to his job description he finished third on the team in assists with 28, third on the team in scoring and third in Power Play goals – netting five with the man advantage. He was also one of eight players on the Gulls with two game winning goals to his name.

We saw a lot more of his shot this season – which we already knew was dangerous but was made that much more so on the Power Play when given the time and space to connect on cross-ice passes.

Opposing teams took notice and deliberately targeted him as a clear game plan to halt the Gulls surging momentum after the new year and the Coachella Valley Firebirds eventually succeeded, sending out a physical line-up to target his knees on follow through hits until he eventually went down near the end of the first on the 28th of February and needed to be helped off the ice, ending the Gulls slim playoff hopes in the process.

Pastujov did not return until the Gulls were already eliminated from the playoffs in April and put up another three points in the last six games of the season.

He has one year left on his entry level deal and at least another two years of waiver exemption left, his off-season work last year revolved around adding speed and agility to his skating but this summer he will need to focus on bulking up to provide more protection for his body to deal with the kind of attention he will continue to receive from nefarious opponents.

He too – like Myatovic – started the season on the fourth line but quickly made his way up the line-up, landing on the second line alongside Jansen Harkins and Sam Colangelo in November. He put together his first point streak during that month – contributing four points in three games but faded back to sporadic contributions as his line lost Harkins to the Ducks on what would turn out to be a permanent recall.

With the Gulls struggling through the tail end of November Coach McIlvane reshuffled the lines to place Pitre on the top line – joining Nikita Nesterenko in flanking Ryan Carpenter and he stayed there through the start of December until returning players saw him scratched and then relegated back to the fourth line. He stayed in the bottom six for most of January – even asked to play his natural position of Center at certain points on either the fourth or third line until once again the injury bug saw him moved up the line-up to the second line after Carson Meyer was ruled out for the second time this season.

As the Gulls began to catch fire in February, so too did Pitre – earning first star honors with a multi goal, multi point effort against the Canucks but was listed as day-to-day with an upper body injury for the game immediately after in what had to be the most cruel twist of fate all season.

Returning in March Pitre found himself back on the second line but struggled to generate with a nightly rotation of different line-mates that featured at points Yegor Sidorov, Jan Mysak, Carsen Twarynski and Nico Myatovic as he compiled just four more points through the final 19 games of the season.

With two years left on his entry level deal he will look to further bulk up to avoid further injuries next season and hope to be placed with consistent line-mates that complement his skill-set much like the duo of Colangelo and Harkins did earlier in the season. Like Myatovic – Pitre is not quite a play driver at the AHL level and will sometimes look to force a play that isn’t always there. But he is a hard-working mucker that will chase down loose pucks, engage in board battles, go to the net fearlessly and keep up with faster line-mates with above average skating.

The Ducks 2023 third round selection appeared to live up to the hype when he made an instant contribution – putting together his first point streak after going scoreless in the Gulls first two on the road in Toronto. Scoring his first AHL goal and adding another in the same game in Bakersfield he also added another three points across a four game span.

From there his appearances on the scoresheet were sporadic with three games with assists here followed by a five game drought there and then exploding for another nine points across a four game stretch including back to back three point nights in mid December. The effort earned him AHL player of the week and came at a time when he was playing on the Gulls hottest line – which saw his skill and shot complemented by the hard-working fore-check of Nathan Gaucher and space creating power-forward style of Judd Caulfield. He also co-lead the team in scoring at this point of the season and during the stretch attempted the Michigan that you see pictured above.

A slump in the Gulls briefly resurgent streak later in December saw Coach McIlvane attempt Sidorov on the top line and the switch provided mixed results, he put up points in two games but was sidelined in January with a lower body injury and then again in February with an upper body ailment.

Returning from injury in the last week of February he picked up right away – putting together a five game point streak and totaling seven points during the span. With Nathan Gaucher done for the season by this point he found similar success one a line with Jan Mysak and Coulson Pitre who was then swapped out for Judd Caulfield when Pitre was required to play Center on the third line. His scoring trailed off by seasons end – particularly at the end of March when the Gulls were officially ruled out of postseason contention and during the stretch he didn’t seem the kind of player we saw at the start of the season. That said; he did have one memorable late season game where he appeared to be playing tit-for-tat with a fellow countryman playing on the opponents roster – the game saw Sidorov execute a backwards spin move twice in the same area of the ice at different points of the game.

By seasons end Sidorov had compiled 34 points in 59 games, good for eighth on the Gulls in scoring and third by first year players – not a bad effort at all but did leave a bittersweet taste of what could have been given his near point per game pace earlier in the season. Unsurprisingly he finished tied for first in shots with Jan Mysak (a frequent line-mate) tied for fifth in goals with 17 (just three shy of a 20 goal season), had two game winning goals, five score-opening goals and one overtime winning goal. He also co-led the team in shootout winning tallies.

The kid has the talent to light up the AHL provided he has line-mates that work with his skill set to help create him room and feed him the puck but he also carries a healthy amount of arrogance that has me slightly concerned if it should get the better of him – there has already been one off-ice incident that we know of and I really hope we do not learn of more. I love his swagger, inhumanly quick snap shot and agile skating ability as well as a tenacious and fearless side to him that saw many an opponent suddenly grow incensed and try to drop the gloves with him as he skated away and let Gaucher or Caulfield deal with it. This was the first year of his three year entry level deal and he will look to build upon a strong start with more consistent numbers next season that should see him catapult to the top of the Ducks recall chart.

Unable to get a new deal with the Firebirds he spent the first half of last season in Europe with Coach McIlvanes old squad in Vienna and the second half with Bridgeport in the AHL. When the Gulls lost Jansen Harkins to permanent recall and Carson Meyer was eventually ruled out for the season they needed another veteran forward so took on Twarynskis contract from the Canucks in a “future considerations” deal.

He hit the ground running and became an instant hit with fans at Pechanga arena, wearing his emotions on his sleeve as he scored big goals to help the Gulls keep slim playoff hopes alive in March. Compiling five points through his first five games on a make-shift third line that initially featured Josh Lopina and Judd Caulfield but by seasons end had swapped out Lopina for the faster and more efficient Lindmark. He went scoreless for his final five games with the Gulls and was scratched in their season finale at home as management opted instead to look at what they had in terms of options next season.

He didn’t set any career highs in his short twelve game stint in San Diego but he did set the best point per game pace he has ever experienced in the AHL in his nine year tenure thus far. Even if his contributions did dry up in the final two weeks I believe he showed that he is a good fit with this organization and as seen this year, you can never have enough veterans. Just take a read over his pre-draft profile; it absolutely reeks of Verbeekisms. Size and frame used intelligently – check. Not often beaten in corner battles – check. Plays with an edge – check. Good skater, passes well and able to get to the front of the net and his best asset is his compete? I won’t be surprised if he is upgraded from an AHL deal to a two way deal with the Ducks. There was a reason the Kraken took a chance at selecting him from the Flyers in the expansion draft – he has the profile to be a solid depth player; he just either hasn’t realized his full potential yet – or he lacks the next-level tools required to stick at the NHL level.

The Ducks second round pick in 2022 looked comfortable in his first professional season though did see time on the bench when returning players bumped him down the depth chart. He was always billed as an defensive defender, using his size and reach to clear the net and close gaps respectively and it took him some time to adjust to the speed of the AHL but by seasons end he was by and large – one of the more consistent stay-at-home defenders on the roster.

His size definitely helped him make a quick transition this season, able to take punishment from opposing fore-checkers to start the break-out and slowly getting his timing right to be a consistent pest on the Gulls blue-line for any would-be zone-entry puck carriers. Earlier in the season he found himself trailing the play or taking himself completely out of it whenever he tried to step up physically but by the end of the season he was laying hits with perfect execution to force a turnover or break up a play enough that it diffused a would be scoring chance.

He could sometimes be beaten wide or get lost in a rush sequence by some of the speedier teams and will need to work on his acceleration and overall skating speed this off-season but overall you couldn’t have asked for a better first year from a rookie stay at home defender. It will be interesting to see how he slots in next season with competition for spots on the defensive pairings across both the Ducks and Gulls becoming even more tight with the arrival of Ian Moore, Konnor Smith and Jeremie Biakabutuka. He and Smith play essentially the same game although Smith has shown more offensive potential early on in his short professional career so far.

This was the first year of his three year entry level deal and we will see him in San Diego again next season or potentially starting the season in Tulsa depending on how potential increased depth from the Ducks rolls down to the Gulls.

San Diego Gulls 2024-2025 Player Grades Honourable Mentions

Jeremie Biakabutuka

12 Games – 0 Goals, 1 Assist – 1 Point

Biakabutuka deserves a mention purely because he seemed to surpass the likes of Roman Kinal and Andrew Lucas on the depth chart soon after his acquisition from St Louis in the Cam Fowler trade. I was skeptical of his background numbers given he has only ever spent the majority of his time in the ECHL through the last two seasons since he turned pro. He did surprise me a lot with his swift development and adjustment to the AHL game after his call up, quickly turning obvious raw tools into a near mistake free skill set. He finished the year in Tulsa where he finished third on the team in scoring by defenders with 28 points in 32 games but fizzled in the playoffs contributing just one point in six games. He likely gets a very long look in camp but either ends up being the injury cover scratch or the very last cut for the upcoming year.

Vyacheslav Buteyets

2 Games – 0-1-0-0, 5.56 GAA and 0.800 SV%

Buteyets spent most of the year in Tulsa but did receive a call up in late December – getting his first AHL start on the 28th against the Condors where he allowed five goals on 26 shots with his goal-tending coach temporarily pulled out of retirement to back him up after Oscar Dansk was too ill to suit up. He also saw just under seven minutes of action coming on in relief when Dansk was lit up for six goals on 27 shots against Iowa just under a month later. In Tulsa he played in 36 of their 72 regular season games, three more than his competition – Rangers prospect Talyn Boyko who bested him in GAA and SV% as well as wins. Buteyets posted a 19-13-3-4 record compared to Boykos 20-8-5-2 and had a 2.82 GAA vs Boykos 2.66. His save percentage was .905 vs Boykos .913. He also got more starts in the playoffs – playing a total of 5 games and going 2-2-1, posting a .906 SV% and a 3.03 GAA. Boyko got the one start – a loss and posted a 1.54 GAA and 0.929 SV%. It is curious that when both the Ducks and Gulls were hit with injuries to their goal-tending near the end of the season – that despite consistently calling up Buteyets earlier in the year – they elected to throw the straight-from-Europe Damian Clara to the wolves and give him his first North American action in the AHL. From what I understand Oilers fans love Buteyets and he has quickly become a fan favorite there – it will be something to keep an eye on next season to see where he and Damian Clara end up.

Damian Clara

2 Games – 0-1-0-0, 3.15 GAA and 0.898 SV%

Who had the Ducks having all four (well three since Suchanek didn’t play) of their prospect goaltenders playing in North America on their bingo card this season? Not me. When Anaheim decided to bring him across in early April it was relatively good timing given John Gibson had just gone down with an injury and with Calle Clang still sidelined the Gulls needed another body to back-up Oscar Dansk after Anaheim recalled Ville Husso. Why Clara was brought across when the Ducks had a perfectly healthy Buteyets bouncing between Tulsa and San Diego only lends more mystery to the situation. Were they checking on Claras development after moving him from Farjestad (SHL) to Karpat (Finnish Liiga) earlier this season? Were they helping the youngster out in his bid to be the starting goaltender for his native Italian national team at the upcoming Winter Olympics? Probably. Although that part is going to require more work and he only has this upcoming season to put it in. Look for an intense battle at the upcoming camps this fall with Clara and Buteyets likely both ending up in Tulsa to fight for the net there – which is ultimately better than Buteyets losing it at times to the Rangers prospect Talyn Boyko at points this past season. Although – straight from Ducks Assistant GM Martin Maddens mouth – it does sound like he might be going back to Europe?

Will Francis

3 Games – 0 Goals, 0 Assists – 0 Points

It was a feel good moment when the 24 year old three time Cancer survivor took to the ice for his professional debut against the Firebirds on the 13th of April. He had been with the team ever since his University of Minnesota-Duluth squads season concluded but had been held out until the Gulls were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. He did not put up any points in the three game look he got at the end of the Gulls season but he did not look entirely out of place either – coming close on a high danger chance and staying involved in the play later on in the sequence to set up another look. As Patrick Williams wrote – “At 24 years old, Francis has no guarantees past his current tryout deal with San Diego. Leukemia has limited his ice time and development these past five years, though one could certainly say that he has been more than sufficiently tested both mentally and emotionally.” We don’t know if we will see Francis back next year but it would be pretty heartless of the Ducks/Gulls to not give him at least another try out deal – even if it means he spends the majority of the season in Tulsa, it would at least be a start.

Ville Husso

9 Games – 7-2-0-2, 2.56 GAA and 0.907 SV%

Brought in to keep the Gulls end of season slim playoff hopes afloat after both the Ducks and Gulls were besieged by injuries in net Husso was the kind of veteran goaltender they had missed since Anton Khudobin and Reto Berra. It seemed almost unfair to opposing teams as the NHL calibre backstop helped the Gulls string together their first back to back win-streaks of the season – earning two shut outs in the process. He is a UFA having concluded the three year deal he signed with Detroit in 2022 and would be hoping his strong play for both the Gulls and Ducks (during end of season call-ups and starts) has earned him another deal but if nobody calls – I would love for the Ducks to bring him back as an option, particularly if Gibson does get dealt this off-season as is rumored to happen every off-season.

Owen Lindmark

15 Games – 0 Goals, 1 Assist – 1 Point

The former 2019 Florida fifth round draft pick was signed to an ATO at the conclusion of his College season – his sixth – at the University of Wisconsin. Anaheim clearly liked what they saw of him while keeping tabs on 2021 selection Kyle Kukkonen who had transferred there this past off-season. He is also a former team-mate of Trevor Zegras and Drew Helleson at the USNTDP. He was a Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year finalist last season and displayed a lot of that capability in his 15 games as a black ace in San Diego, essentially stealing Josh Lopina’s spot on the fourth line as he very quickly adjusted to the professional game. As I have noted previously – the AHL frustratingly does not track face-off statistics but Lindmark did take the reigns as the Gulls go-to-guy in the dot on the defensive draw in those final fifteen games of the season. His arrival likely means the end of Josh Lopina’s time in the Ducks organisation and I would look to see Lindmark given a least an AHL deal this off-season.

Andrew Lucas

20 Games – 0 Goals, 3 Assists – 3 Points

What the hell happened to Andrew Lucas? The sure-fire bet to make the team out of camp was instead sent to Tulsa to start the season and was only recalled in November after leading the Oilers in scoring with nine points in their first nine games. In contrast to what we saw at the end of last season – Lucas failed to start, going pointless for his first seven games after the call-up before contributing two assists in one night against the Silver Knights in mid December. From what I saw all of the same tools were there he just seemed to lack… I don’t know what it was, timing? Confidence? Luck?

He was sent back to Tulsa at the end of January and never returned, finishing the year with 29 points in 39 games on the Oilers and adding another two through six post season games. He finished tenth on the Oilers in scoring, second by defenders. He did lead the Oilers defense in points per game with a 0.74, which also placed him 16th in the league by defenders and sixth among Oilers skaters.

Lucas was signed to a one year AHL only deal and will be looking for another but with the Ducks having signed Jeremie Biakabutuka to an entry level deal it feels like he has been supplanted on the depth chart. I for one believe he can turn into something but sadly he likely either comes back on another AHL only deal that see’s him with the Oilers and used only as injury cover unless he can impress or he tries his luck elsewhere – which is fair enough given the Ducks opted to acquire Biakabutuka over playing him.

Ian Moore

9 Games – 1 Goal, 4 Assists – 5 Points

It has been a long time coming for the Ducks 2020 third round selection and possibly the last from that draft to make their way to the organization (although the usual Galimov rumours are back) and much like his fellow draft-class-man from last season – Sam Colangelo – he slotted right in and did not look out of place during his professional tryout. Earning an entry level deal and seeing some NHL action in the Ducks final three games of the season.

As I wrote in my post-game notes of his AHL debut – he flew mostly under the radar, did all of the little things right and played a mistake-free game. As he got more games under his belt he continued to develop at an exponential rate – quickly becoming one of the Gulls better defenders. Calmly defusing odd-man rushes, effortlessly reversing to release pressure down low and combining with team-mates to make quick transitions on the breakout – or just taking it up himself if he saw the time and space allowed. The Ducks lack of right-shot defenders has suddenly expanded to receive Drew Helleson, Tristan Luneau and now Ian Moore. With Jacob Trouba and Radko Gudas likely to hold down spots during this time of potential playoff-contention the competition will be fierce for that last spot – held by Helleson last year but Moore will most definitely get a good look come the Spring. Helleson is still waivers exempt for another 21 games next season while Moore has roughly a season of games before he becomes eligible. I see him starting the year with the Gulls next year but being the first call-up on injury.

Konnor Smith

3 Games – 0 Goals, 0 Assists – 0 Points

Playing three less games than he did last year in his black-ace appearance Smith looked a lot less raw, more mature and less likely to take stupid penalties – which he didn’t – never visiting the penalty box once compared to the ten minutes he managed to notch up in just six games of action at the end of last season. Playing his second straight year in the OHL as an over-ager he signed his entry level with the Ducks at the conclusion of his Junior season having stayed in the league as long as he was legally allowed to – now 20 years old and set to turn 21 in November the rugged defender provides further stay-at-home defensive depth for the Gulls but likely starts next season in Tulsa.

Stian Solberg

10 Games – 2 Goals, 3 Assists – 5 Points

Another player not scheduled to make his North American debut this season – the Ducks late first round selection in the 2024 NHL entry draft was expected to stay in the SHL for at least another season or two but with the Gulls defensive depth being tested by injury during their end of season hot-streak and Solberg’s ice-time being cut by his SHL club during their own playoff run – Verbeek opted to bring the Norwegian teen across to get some consistent playing time in a similarly high pressure environment.

Joining the team during a weekend swing in Henderson he went scoreless in his first game but notched his first point during the second game as he saw time on the Power Play with Tristan Luneau manning the other point. He followed that up with another assist against the Barracuda at home, a pointless game against the Roadrunners and then notched his first AHL goal in what turned out to be the game winner on Mexican Heritage night against the Wranglers. He notched another in the very next game – scoring the Gulls first goal in a losing effort against the Canucks. He finished the year with five points in ten games but missed the Gulls final three games with an undisclosed injury.

My in game assessments of him were up and down as the youngster was found guilty of more than a few miss-timed passes that lead directly to high danger opportunities or goals against but I would expect he won’t take long to get his timing down through the first month of next season.

He has since gone on to impress at the World Championships – scoring a hat-trick against the USA in what could have been a historic comeback triumph but was pipped by Tage Thompsons OT winner. He finished the tournament with six points in seven games, prompting a lot of hype among Ducks fans that he will start next year in Anaheim. I politely retorted that he would need at least another year in the AHL – particularly given the talent already occupying spots on the Ducks blue line. He could go back to the SHL next season but given the potential bad blood created in the decision to pull him out during his clubs playoff run I doubt that happens. We should see Solberg in San Diego this season likely as one of the last cuts from camp and given how quickly he adjusted in this end of season stint, it won’t take him long to work his way up the depth chart as one of the first names up for a recall.

Jaxsen Wiebe

12 Games – 1 Goal, 0 Assists – 1 Point

It was another year of regret for the 23 year old as he started the year well – pacing Sasha Pastujov for the scoring lead on the Oilers before getting recalled in late November in a direct response to the Ducks recalling Jansen Harkins from the Gulls. He played in twelve games from late November through to early January, scoring just the one goal in a tilt against the Silver Knights at home before being sidelined with a day-to-day upper body injury that he did not return from.

This was the second year of his entry level deal and he will be desperate to stay healthy next season in order to get another contract. His game is no-nonsense, physical and in your face with a compete level befitting everything that Pat Verbeek loves and his production at the ECHL level earlier in the season demonstrates that he brings more than two-way play. He just needs to catch a break.

Final Notes

If you would like to take a trip down memory lane you can check out the previous years grades here.

• 2023-2024 San Diego Gulls Grades
• 2022-2023 San Diego Gulls Grades
• 2021-2022 San Diego Gulls Grades
• 2020-2021 San Diego Gulls Grades
• 2019-2020 San Diego Gulls Grades

If you want to yell at me on X or Blue Sky, Facebook or even Reddit (just not TikTok or Instagram because I’m too old for that) for my grades being too high I will give the same excuse I give every season. The New Zealand system (where I grew up and live) assigns grades from A+ to C- all of which are a pass, everything under a C- is a fail. Also I genuinely like watching and following these players so I (mostly) hate to say terrible things about them.