Donald Carlson – Inside The Rink

The San Diego Gulls enter the 2026-27 AHL season looking to build on a disappointing end to the 2025-26 campaign.

San Diego reached the Calder Cup Playoffs last season but finished seventh in the Pacific Division. The Gulls were eliminated by the Colorado Eagles in the first round, losing the best-of-three series after dropping the final two games in Colorado.

Now, San Diego will try to take another step forward while continuing to develop prospects for the Anaheim Ducks. The Gulls have an intriguing mix of young talent and veteran experience, giving them a chance to compete for a playoff spot in a difficult Pacific Division.

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San Diego Has Plenty of Young Talent

The Gulls have several Ducks prospects who could make major strides this season.

Roger McQueen is arguably the biggest name to watch. The 19-year-old forward is one of Anaheim’s top prospects and should have an opportunity to take on an important role in San Diego. McQueen’s combination of size and offensive ability gives the Gulls a potential difference-maker up front.

Stian Solberg is another major prospect. The defenseman was selected 23rd overall in the 2024 NHL Draft and remains one of Anaheim’s most intriguing young players. He should have an opportunity to play significant minutes and continue developing his defensive game.

Yegor Sidorov, Coulson Pitre, and Lucas Pettersson provide additional young talent throughout the forward group.

Anaheim’s prospect pipeline gives San Diego plenty of potential, but the Gulls will need those young players to produce consistently.

Veteran Leadership Will Be Important

San Diego also has plenty of experience on its roster.

Captain Ryan Carpenter returns for his third season with the Gulls after signing a one-year contract extension. Carpenter provides leadership, defensive responsibility, and significant NHL experience to a relatively young roster.

They also added Anton Wahlberg, who is entering his fourth AHL season after spending time with Rochester. They have a solid core entering this season.

That veteran presence will be particularly important when Anaheim calls players up to the NHL.

The Gulls will likely experience plenty of roster movement throughout the season. Having experienced players capable of stepping into larger roles should help San Diego remain competitive.

Goaltending Could Be a Difference-Maker

Goaltending will be one of the biggest areas to watch.

The Gulls have Tomas Suchanek back. They also have Damian Clara. The biggest offseason addition, though, is Laurent Brossoit, who made his return to hockey last season after an injury.

He appeared in one NHL game for the Sharks, suffering the loss and allowing six goals on 24 shots. In 28 AHL games between Rockford and the Barracuda, he went 15-11-1 with a 3.06 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. He lost both of his playoff games with a 4.04 goals-against average.

If the Gulls can get consistent goaltending, they have enough talent in front of the net to compete with the Pacific Division’s best teams.

The Pacific Division Will Be Difficult

San Diego opens the 2026-27 season on the road against the San Jose Barracuda on October 3. The Gulls will then return home for their October 10 opener against the Henderson Silver Knights at Pechanga Arena San Diego.

The Gulls will face the other Pacific Division teams throughout the season, creating plenty of important divisional matchups.

San Diego will also have to contend with strong teams such as Coachella Valley, Colorado, Bakersfield, and Ontario. Every divisional point could become important in a crowded playoff race.

The Pacific Division has consistently been one of the AHL’s toughest divisions, and 2026-27 should be no different.

Can San Diego Make a Deep Playoff Run?

San Diego has enough young talent to compete for a playoff position.

McQueen, Solberg, and the rest of Anaheim’s prospects give the Gulls a promising foundation, while Carpenter and the veteran group can provide the leadership necessary to keep the team competitive.

The biggest question will be consistency.

San Diego needs its young players to take significant steps while getting dependable goaltending throughout the season. If those pieces come together, the Gulls could make a serious push for a higher playoff seed.

2026-27 Prediction: San Diego Gulls finish seventh in the Pacific Division and clinch the final Pacific Division spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

The Gulls have enough talent to return to the postseason, but the Pacific Division will make that difficult. If Anaheim’s prospects develop as expected and San Diego receives strong veteran contributions, the Gulls could be a dangerous playoff team.