FOR MEDIA: San Diego Gulls Celebrate Willie O'Ree's 90th Birthday
Published on October 8, 2025 under American Hockey League (AHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
The San Diego Gulls celebrated the 90th birthday of hockey pioneer, Willie O'Ree last night at the Rooftop Cinema Club in downtown San Diego. The celebration featured a friends and family reception which was followed by panel discussion centered on O'Ree's enduring impact on the sport of hockey. The panel was moderated by NHL Player Inclusion Coalition (NHL PIC) member and NHL on TNT analyst Anson Carter. Carter was joined on stage by Gulls forwards Justin Bailey and Travis Howe along with NHL PIC and Stanley Cup champion Jamal Mayers. The celebration was capped off with a showing of O'Ree's biographical documentary 'Willie'.
Joining O'Ree for the evening was the entirety of the San Diego Gulls roster and coaching staff. Head Coach Matt McIlvane along with Gulls President of Business Operations Matt Savant, Anson Carter and Jamal Mayers presented O'Ree with a golden hockey stick engraved with Willie's signature "If you think you can, you can, and if you think you can't, you're right." quote and other messages in celebration of his milestone achievements.
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