San Diego Gulls Sign Defenseman Andy Carroll And Forward Kyle Crnkovic To One Year Contracts

Aug 14, 2023

The San Diego Gulls announced today that the American Hockey League (AHL) club has signed defenseman Andy Carroll and forward Kyle Crnkovic to one-year standard player contracts (SPCs) through the 2023-24 AHL season. 

  

Carroll, 26 (2/7/97), made his AHL debut with Abbotsford during the 2022-23 season, earning 0-1=1 in five games. He made his professional debut on Mar. 30 against Manitoba and earned his first AHL point and assist on Apr. 1 against the Moose. 

 

The 6-0, 186-pound defenseman collected 14-50=64 points with 45 penalty minutes (PIM) and a +70 rating in 170 career NCAA games with Minnesota State University (Mankato) from 2017-2023. The blueliner led the Mavericks to five straight championships, including the WCHA titles from 2018-2021 and the CCHA championships in 2022 and 2023. Minnesota State University also finished as regular-season champions in his five seasons with the team. Carroll posted a career-best 5-20=25 points in 39 games during the 2022-23 season, finishing second on the team in assists. In addition, he ranked second on the team in blocked shots (33). 

   

The Northfield, Minn. native skated in 42 USHL games with the Green Bay Gamblers in 2017-18, posting 2-6=8 points and 10 PIM. In 2016-17 with the Aberdeen Wings of the NAHL, Carroll scored 6-34=40 points with 18 PIM and a +18 rating in 55 games, earning NAHL Second Team, NAHL All-Rookie Team First Team, NAHL All-Central Division Team and NAHL All-Central Division Rookie Team honors. His father, Tood, served as head coach of the Minnesota State women’s hockey program from 1998-2001. 

 

Crnkovic, 21 (2/10/02), recorded 111-178=289 points with 90 PIM and a +68 rating in 277 career Western Hockey League (WHL) games with the Saskatoon Blades and Seattle Thunderbirds. He posted 30-38=68 points with 27 PIM and a +48 rating in 67 games with Seattle in 2022-23, ranking second on the team in goals and fourth in points. He added 3-11=14 points with 10 PIM and a +9 rating in 19 postseason contests, helping the Thunderbirds win the Ed Chynoweth Cup as the WHL’s champion. Crnkovic led the club in Memorial Cup scoring, finishing the tournament with 5-3=8 points in five games and earning CHL Memorial Cup All-Star Team honors. 

 

The 5-7, 165-pound forward skated in 210 games with the Saskatoon Blades from 2017-2022, serving as an alternate captain in his final season with the club. In 2021-22, Crnkovic scored 39-55=94 points with 20 PIM, ranking fifth among all WHL skaters in points. He also finished tied for first among league leaders in shorthanded goals (5) and second in power-play assists (32), earning WHL (East) First All-Star Team honors. 

   

The Calgary, AB native skated in 34 career WHL postseason contests, collecting 10-15=25 points with 16 PIM and a +10 rating. He represented Canada at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, leading Canada Black skaters with four goals and finishing second on the team with 4-1=5 points to earn a silver medal.