San Diego Sabers

The San Diego Sabers are a junior ice hockey team based in Carlsbad, California, that competes in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL). The team plays its home games at IceTown Carlsbad. The team was the fourth to be known as the San Diego Gulls, using the name from 2008 to 2015, when it was given to the American Hockey League (AHL) San Diego Gulls before the 2015–16 season.

San Diego Sabers
City	Carlsbad, California
League	United States Premier Hockey League
Founded	2001
Home arena	Carlsbad Icetown
Colors	Gold, black, white
Owner(s)	Tomas Kapusta
General manager	Tomas Kapusta
Head coach	Domenic DiCicco[1]
Franchise history
2001–2008	San Diego Surf
2008–2015	San Diego Gulls
2015–present	San Diego Sabers

History

The franchise was founded in 2001 as the San Diego Surf. At the time, the Western States Hockey League (WSHL) was a Tier III Junior B league before later transitioning to a Junior A in 2007.^[2] It played as the Surf from 2001 until 2008 when the team took the name San Diego Gulls, the name of three former hockey franchises in San Diego.^[3][4][5]

Prior to the 2011–12 season, the WSHL and all its team members, including the Gulls, became Amateur Athletic Union sanctioned instead of USA Hockey, the first Junior A hockey league to make that transition.

In February 2015, it was announced that the team has changed its name to San Diego Sabers for the 2015–16 season as the San Diego Gulls name would be used by the new San Diego AHL team.^[6]

In 2017, the Sabers were sold to former Czech national team and Olympian Tomas Kapusta.^[7]

In 2020, the Sabers left the WSHL and joined another independent junior hockey league, the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL), in the Premier Division.^[8] The team also relocated from Iceplex Escondido in Escondido, California, to Carlsbad Icetown in Carlsbad, California.^[9]

Season-by-season records

Season	GP	W	L	OTW	OTL	Pts	GF	GA	PIM	Finish	Playoffs
2010–11	46	23	22	—	1	47	141	151	—	4th of 8, Western 7th of 13, WSHL	Lost div. semifinals, 0–2 vs. Idaho Jr. Steelheads
2011–12	46	24	17	—	5	53	181	132	851	2nd of 6, Western 7th of 16, WSHL	Lost div. semifinals, 0–2 vs. Valencia Flyers
2012–13	46	24	18	—	4	52	173	131	620	4th of 6, Western 10th of 22, WSHL	Lost div. semifinals, 0–2 vs. Valencia Flyers
2013–14	46	8	35	—	3	19	142	226	837	6th of 6, Western 21st of 24, WSHL	Did not qualify
2014–15	46	15	29	—	2	32	146	208	998	6th of 8, Western 22nd of 28, WSHL	Won div. quarterfinals, 2–1 vs. Long Beach Bombers Lost div. semifinals, 0–2 vs. Fresno Monsters
2015–16	52	9	40	—	3	21	110	275	1015	8th of 8, Western 27th of 29, WSHL	Did not qualify
2016–17	52	24	25	—	3	51	189	213	832	6th of 8, Western 17th of 27, WSHL	Lost div. quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. Ontario Avalanche
2017–18	51	5	42	—	4	14	112	312	558	6th of 6, Western 21st of 23, WSHL	Lost div. quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. Fresno Monsters
2018–19	51	17	27	4	3	62[a]	187	228	965	3rd of 5, Western 13th of 23, WSHL	Lost div. semifinals, 0–2 vs. Fresno Monsters
2019–20	51	31	18	1	1	96[a]	180	145	777	2nd of 5, Western 8th of 20, WSHL	Playoffs cancelled
2020–21	43	3	39	—	1	7	81	269	1096	4th of 5, Pacific 60th of 62, Premier	Lost div. semifinal game, 2–6 vs. Fresno Monsters
2021–22	44	17	23	—	4	38	154	187	712	4th of 6, Pacific 46th of 65, Premier	Did not qualify
2022-23	46	33	11	1	2	68	212	124	948	4th of 7, Pacific 17th of 69, Premier	Lost div. Semifinal, 0-1-1 vs. Fresno Monsters
2023-24	46	15	31	1	0	31	212	248	943	6th of 7, Pacific 17th of 69, Premier	Did not qualify
2024-25	46	23	22	1	0	47	188	184	800	5th of 8, Pacific 45th of 71, Premier	Did not qualify

1. Beginning with the 2018–19 season, the WSHL awarded 3pts for a win, 2pts for an overtime win, and 1pt for an overtime loss.

Previous Logos

Team logo when the franchise played as the San Diego Gulls 2008–15.

Team logo when the franchise played as the San Diego Surf 2001–08.

Alumni

The Sabers have had a number of alumni move on to college ice hockey, higher levels of junior ice hockey, and professional ice hockey.^[10][11]

• David Brito — San Diego Gulls (ECHL), US National Inline Hockey Team
• Ted Lauer (2014–15) — Lake Forest College Lake Forest, Illinois, NCAA Division III
• Cameron Todd (2014–15) — NACKA HK Team A, Sweden