| Text Color: |
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| Bg Color: | black |
| Team: | San Diego Sabers |
| Logosize: | 150px |
| City: | Carlsbad, California |
| League: | United States Premier Hockey League |
| Founded: | 2001 |
| Arena: | Carlsbad Icetown |
| Colors: | Gold, black, white |
| Owner: | Tomas Kapusta |
| Coach: | Domenic DiCicco[1] |
| Gm: | Tomas Kapusta |
| Name1: | San Diego Surf |
| Dates1: | 2001–2008 |
| Name2: | San Diego Gulls |
| Dates2: | 2008–2015 |
| Name3: | San Diego Sabers |
| Dates3: | 2015–present |
The San Diego Sabers are a junior ice hockey team and are a member of United States Premier Hockey League. The team is based in Carlsbad, California, and plays at the Carlsbad Icetown. The team was the fourth team to be known as the San Diego Gulls from 2008 to 2015 until it gave up the nickname to the American Hockey League San Diego Gulls before the 2015–16 season.
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 | GP | W | L | 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 | 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 | 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, USPHL-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, USPHL-Premier | Did not qualify for post season play | |
| 2022-23 | 46 | 33 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 68 | 212 | 124 | 948 | 4th of 7, Pacific 17th of 69, USPHL-Premier | Lost div. Semifinal, 0-1-1 vs. Fresno Monsters | |
| 2023-24 | 46 | 15 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 212 | 248 | 943 | 6th of 7, Pacific 17th of 69, USPHL-Premier | Did not qualify for post season play |
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]