The San Diego Gulls have made slow, steady progress in each of the last two seasons.

Returning to the Calder Cup playoffs will require more than tortoise stuff.

The Gulls open the 2025-26 American Hockey League season on Friday night looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2022. The showdown with the Coachella Valley Firebirds starts at 7 p.m. from Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert.

The top affiliate of the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks, the Gulls have struggled alongside their parent club for years. Things bottomed out during the 2022-23 season, when the Gulls went 20-49-2-1, finishing last in the AHL’s 10-team Pacific Division. The team improved in 2023-24, going 26-35-10-1 — good for ninth. Last season brought a three-win improvement, but the Gulls’ 29-35-5-3 record still merite

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