San Diego Gulls Name Matthew Phillips as Club's IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year

Published on April 14, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
San Diego Gulls News Release

SAN DIEGO, Calif. - The San Diego Gulls are proud to announce that the American Hockey League (AHL) club has named assistant captain Matthew Phillips as the team's winner of the IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year, to whom the Yanick Dupré Memorial Award is presented, for his outstanding contributions to the San Diego community during the 2025-26 season.

While Phillips ranks second among all Gulls skaters in points (15-35=50), he has also been a leader in the San Diego community. Since signing with the club last offseason, Phillips quickly endeared himself to the city of San Diego. This season alone, Phillips has participated in several community events such as an Armed Services YMCA MCRD ball hockey clinic visit, as well as San Diego Gulls Foundation outings such as Gulls Night at Rady Children's Health Ice Rink, Gulls Bowling Night, and the Gulls Golf Classic. Earlier this spring, Phillips and his wife Mercedes also organized a volunteering afternoon with teammates at the San Diego Humane Society, where they helped with daily maintenance and feeding animals in the shelter.

The Calgary, Alberta native signed a two-year contract as a free agent in the offseason with the Gulls on July 2, 2025.

Phillips is one of 32 finalists for the AHL's 2025-26 Yanick Dupré Memorial Award, honoring the overall IOA/American Specialty AHL Man of the Year. The league award is named after the former Hershey Bears forward and AHL All-Star who died in 1997 following a 16-month battle with leukemia. The winner of the Yanick Dupré Memorial Award will be announced by the American Hockey League later this month.

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