Gulls Begin First Season in ECHL Saturday
October 13, 2003 - ECHL (ECHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release
SAN DIEGO âAll summer long the big question around the San Diego Gulls was "what will it be like in the ECHL?" Come Saturday in Bakersfield, we will find out.
The Gulls flat-out dominated the West Coast Hockey League during its eight-year existence. San Diego won five Taylor Cup Championships during that span, including three straight from 1996-1998. But that's all in the past now.
San Diego now begins its quest for the Kelly Cup and judging by ECHL history it's not going to be that easy. In the league's 15-year history one franchise has won the title three times, while two others have won it twice. And of those three teams, two have won it back-to-back. The Gulls also have 30 other teams to worry about, not to mention four playoff rounds instead of just two.
But rest assured, Steve Martinson will have his boys ready to go. "Marty" has spent all summer doing his usual roster tinkering and the first thing you notice is that this Gulls squad is young! Sure, you've got the mainstays of the team returning: Mark Pederson and Trevor Koenig. And you've got other key members of last season's Taylor Cup run back: Sylvain Deschatelets, Clayton Read, Mike Garrow, David Neale, Miguel Delisle, Sandro Sbrocca, Bryan Vines, Dan Cousineau, Kevin Grant and Samy Nasreddine.
After that you have a bunch of rookies: Greg Barber, J.J. Hartmann, Josh Gratton, Eric Skaug and David Burleigh.
Barber and Hartmann are both University of Denver products and both played with Neale and Vines there. Skaug (Ohio State) and Burleigh (Miami of Ohio) are both fresh out of college while Gratton is coming out of juniors. But even though all five (who are 23 or younger) lack professional experience, each is expected to make ample contributions this season.
Barber (Providence), Gratton (Cincinnati) and Burleigh (Cincinnati) all began this season in American Hockey League training camps. Deschatelets (Hershey), Garrow (Cincinnati), Delisle (Cincinnati) and Sbrocca (Cincinnati) started the year in AHL camps as well. So the Gulls may be young, but definitely talented. I don't think anyone could argue that.
That's not even the entire roster. With a couple of spots remaining to be filled, Martinson still has to make some decisions before the end of the week. Among those that could be in a Gulls uniform on Saturday are Cliff Loya and George Davis (both began training camp in Cincinnati). San Diego can sign four veterans (filled already by Pederson, Grant and Nasreddine). That leaves one more veteran spot available, which could be filled by the most tenured Gull: Dennis Purdie. Stay tuned; all questions will be answered shortly!
After playing the Condors on Saturday, the Gulls return to Bakersfield Friday, Oct. 24 and travel to Las Vegas for the first time on Tuesday, Oct. 28.
San Diego's Home Opener is Saturday, Nov. 1 against the Idaho Steelheads. The first 10,000 fans will get their very own pair of Gulls Cheer Sticks, courtesy of 4-Lawyer.com. And in honor of Halloween, it's going to be a blackout...so all fans are encouraged to dress in ALL BLACK to show their Halloween spirit! Kids 14 and under can wear their costumes and "Trick-or-Treat" on the outer concourse during the game! And, your favorites from KGB 101.5 FM will be there to keep everyone entertained all game long!
Season and individual tickets as well as group packages are currently on sale. For pricing and benefits, call 619-224-4625 ext. 7 or log onto www.sandiegogulls.com.
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