All season long the San Diego Gulls helped develop players for the team’s parent club in Anaheim, only to see them get promoted to the NHL.
Now four players that made big contributions for the Gulls are coming back to San Diego.
The Ducks whittled down their NHL playoff roster Monday and sent goalie Anton Khudobin, center Michael Sgarbossa, and right wingers Stefan Noesen and Corey Tropp back to the Ducks’ AHL affiliate just in time for the Gulls upcoming playoff run.
San Diego also reassigned right wing Matt Berry and goaltender Ryan Faragher back to the Utah Grizzlies - which is San Diego’s ECHL affiliate.
You could say Anaheim’s loss is San Diego’s gain.
At the same time, kudos is in store for top prospects Nick Ritchie and Shea Theodore. Both players appear to have earned their first opportunities to appear in the Stanley Cup playoffs with the Ducks.
Anaheim opens up its first round playoff series with the Nashville Predators this weekend with games 1 and 2 at the Honda Center on Friday and Sunday respectively.
Local
The Gulls close out their regular season with home contests against the Ontario Reign (LA Kings affiliate) this coming Friday and Saturday.
San Diego will then start its first postseason in its inaugural AHL season.
Exact dates and times for upcoming playoffs games as well as the Gulls first-round opponent will be determined after the regular season concludes this upcoming weekend.
Since the Gulls stand 2nd in the Pacific division they will face either the 3rd seed from their division (currently the San Jose Barracuda based on winning percentage) or the 5th seed from the Central division.
Ontario has already clinched the Pacific division.
