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.
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. 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.
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.
In 2017, the Sabers were sold to former Czech national team and Olympian Tomas Kapusta.
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. The team also relocated from Iceplex Escondido in Escondido, California, to Carlsbad Icetown in Carlsbad, California.
Season-by-season records Season GP W L Pts GF GA PIM Finish Playoffs 2010–11 46 23 22 — 1 47 141 151 —4th of 8, Western7th of 13, WSHLLost div. semifinals, 0–2 vs. Idaho Jr. Steelheads 2011–12 46 24 17 — 5 53 181 132 851 2nd of 6, Western7th of 16, WSHLLost div. semifinals, 0–2 vs. Valencia Flyers 2012–13 46 24 18 — 4 52 173 131 620 4th of 6, Western10th of 22, WSHLLost div. semifinals, 0–2 vs. Valencia Flyers 2013–14 46 8 35 — 3 19 142 226 837 6th of 6, Western21st of 24, WSHLDid not qualify 2014–15 46 15 29 — 2 32 146 208 998 6th of 8, Western22nd of 28, WSHLWon div. quarterfinals, 2–1 vs. Long Beach BombersLost div. semifinals, 0–2 vs. Fresno Monsters 2015–16 52 9 40 — 3 21 110 275 1015 8th of 8, Western27th of 29, WSHLDid not qualify 2016–17 52 24 25 — 3 51 189 213 832 6th of 8, Western17th of 27, WSHLLost div. quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. Ontario Avalanche 2017–18 51 5 42 — 4 14 112 312 558 6th of 6, Western21st of 23, WSHLLost div. quarterfinals, 0–2 vs. Fresno Monsters 2018–19 51 17 27 4 3 62 187 228 965 3rd of 5, Western13th of 23, WSHLLost div. semifinals, 0–2 vs. Fresno Monsters 2019–20 51 31 18 1 1 96 180 145 777 2nd of 5, Western8th of 20, WSHLPlayoffs cancelled 2020–21 43 3 39 — 1 7 81 269 1096 4th of 5, Pacific60th of 62, PremierLost div. semifinal game, 2–6 vs. Fresno Monsters 2021–22 44 17 23 — 4 38 154 187 712 4th of 6, Pacific46th of 65, PremierDid not qualify 2022-23 46 33 11 1 2 68 212 124 948 4th of 7, Pacific17th 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, Pacific17th of 69, Premier Did not qualify 2024-25 46 23 22 1 0 47 188 184 800 5th of 8, Pacific45th of 71, Premier Did not qualify 2025-26 46 13 31 1 1 28 124 208 869 6th of 7, Pacific59th of 77, Premier Did not qualify
Previous logos
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. 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
References
External links Official San Diego Sabers Website Official WSHL Website