Spartans Captain Matt Basgall Signs ATO with San Diego Gulls
Michigan State's captain trades green and white for Gulls gold, aiming to make his mark in professional hockey.
Oh captain, my captain. It feels fitting that my first article back after a bit of paternity leave is about Michigan State’s captain. While a new “captain” — just 72 hours into life — is getting settled in at the Faber household, the Spartans’ captain is getting settled in San Diego.
Michigan State captain Matt Basgall, the 2026 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, has officially signed an amateur tryout (ATO) with the Anaheim Ducks’ AHL affiliate, the San Diego Gulls. Basgall, a 23-year-old defenseman from Lake Forest, Illinois, has taken a long and steady path to this opportunity. He spent four seasons with the Omaha Lancers, finishing his time there with 46 total points (nine goals, 37 assists) and a +13 rating.
At 19 years old, Basgall moved on to the Tri-City Storm, where he made an immediate impact. In just 21 games, he recorded 21 points (three goals, 18 assists) in his lone season with the team. From there, Basgall arrived in East Lansing and began a four-year journey that helped reestablish Michigan State hockey.
He joined the Spartans for the 2022–23 season, and his freshman year would be the only season in which Michigan State did not win the Big Ten title. That didn’t sit well with Basgall — or the rest of the locker room. From that point on, Basgall helped build a culture centered on winning, driven by hard-fought, gritty defense and consistent leadership.