Coachella Valley Firebirds

The Coachella Valley Firebirds are a professional ice hockey team based in Thousand Palms, California. They are members of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference of the American Hockey League (AHL). The Firebirds began play in the 2022–23 AHL season. The team is an owned-and-operated affiliate of the Seattle Kraken. Located in Southern California's Coachella Valley, Acrisure Arena in Thousand Palms is the team's home arena.

Coachella Valley Firebirds
CityThousand Palms, California
LeagueAmerican Hockey League
ConferenceWestern
DivisionPacific
Founded2022
Home arenaAcrisure Arena
ColorsDeep sea blue, red alert, orange, ice blue[1]
       
MascotFuego
Owner(s)Seattle Hockey Partners
(David Bonderman, Jerry Bruckheimer, and Tod Leiweke)
General managerVacant
Head coachDan Bylsma
CaptainMax McCormick
MediaThe Desert Sun
KDGL
AffiliatesSeattle Kraken (NHL)
Kansas City Mavericks (ECHL)
Websitecvfirebirds.com
Championships
Conference titles1 (2022–23)
Current season

History

On December 4, 2018, the NHL Board of Governors voted unanimously to approve Seattle's National Hockey League expansion team, the Seattle Kraken, to begin play in the 2021–22 season. The new ownership group then began making plans for acquiring a minor league affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL). By early 2019, they had narrowed it down to promoting the ECHL's Idaho Steelheads in Boise, Idaho, or a new expansion team in Palm Springs, California. On June 26, 2019, it was reported the Seattle ownership group had chosen Palm Springs as the site for Seattle's AHL affiliate.[2] The expansion franchise was approved by the AHL board of governors on September 30, 2019, with plans to begin play in the 2021–22 season.[3] Delays associated with the construction of an arena in the Palm Springs area caused the team's debut to be pushed back to the 2022–23 season. In the interim Seattle affiliated with the Charlotte Checkers for the 2021–22 season, sharing the team with the Florida Panthers.[4]

On November 5, 2021, the new team revealed its name, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, as well as its logos and colors, at a ceremony held on the construction site of their new arena.[5]

The Firebirds finished their inaugural 2022–23 season in second place of the Pacific Division. They won the Western Conference and advanced to the Calder Cup final, where they lost to the Hershey Bears in seven games.

Arena
Main article: Acrisure Arena

The Firebirds play their home games at Acrisure Arena located in Thousand Palms, California, just east of Palm Springs. The Firebirds played four "home" games in the Seattle region in late October 2022 while awaiting the mid-December completion of the new arena: one game at Climate Pledge Arena, the home ice of the parent Seattle Kraken; one game at Angel of the Winds Arena, home of the Everett Silvertips; and two games at the Kraken Community Iceplex, official practice facility of the Kraken.[6] The Firebirds finally stepped on their home ice on December 18, 2022, in which they defeated the Tucson Roadrunners 4–3 in regulation. Cameron Hughes scored the first ever goal at Acrisure Arena, at the 8:49 mark in the 1st period.[7]

Season-by-season record
Regular season Playoffs
Season Games Won Lost OTL SOL Points PCT Goals
for		 Goals
against		 Standing Year Prelims 1st
round		 2nd
round		 3rd
round		 Finals
2022–2372481752103.7152571942nd, Pacific2023W, 2–1, TUCW, 3–2, COLW, 3–2, CGYW, 4–2, MILL, 3–4, HER

Players

Current roster

Updated October 23, 2023.[8][9]

Team roster
No. Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Contract
58 United States Connor Carrick D R 29 2023 Orland Park, Illinois Kraken
60 Canada Chris Driedger G L 29 2023 Winnipeg, Manitoba Kraken
41 Canada Ryker Evans D L 21 2022 Calgary, Alberta Kraken
8 Canada Cale Fleury D R 24 2023 Calgary, Alberta Kraken
15 United States John Hayden C R 28 2022 Chicago, Illinois Kraken
10 Canada Luke Henman C L 23 2022 Dartmouth, Nova Scotia Kraken
19 Canada Cameron Hughes C L 27 2022 Edmonton, Alberta Kraken
45 Canada Jack LaFontaine G L 25 2023 Mississauga, Ontario Firebirds
16 Canada Kole Lind RW L 25 2022 Swift Current, Saskatchewan Kraken
17 United States Max McCormick (C) LW L 31 2022 De Pere, Wisconsin Kraken
40 Canada Jeremy McKenna RW R 24 2022 Canmore, Alberta Firebirds
21 Canada Ian McKinnon C L 25 2022 Whitby, Ontario Firebirds
63 Canada Jacob Melanson RW R 20 2023 Amherst, Nova Scotia Kraken
96 Canada Logan Morrison C R 21 2023 Guelph, Ontario Kraken
23 Sweden Gustav Olofsson (A) D L 28 2022 Boras, Sweden Kraken
36 Finland Ville Ottavainen D R 21 2023 Oulu, Finland Kraken
33 Finland Ville Petman C L 23 2022 Lappeenranta, Finland Kraken
22 United States Andrew Poturalski (A) C R 29 2022 Williamsville, New York Kraken
9 United States Mitch Reinke D R 27 2023 Stillwater, Minnesota Kraken
32 Canada Tucker Robertson C R 20 2023 Toronto, Ontario Kraken
44 United States Jimmy Schuldt D L 28 2022 Minnetonka, Minnesota Kraken
6 Finland Peetro Seppala D L 23 2022 Kuusankoski, Finland Kraken
30 Czech Republic Ales Stezka G L 26 2023 Plzen, Czech Republic Kraken
34 Slovakia Marian Studenic LW L 24 2023 Skalica, Slovakia Kraken
27 Canada Ryan Winterton F R 20 2023 Markham, Ontario Kraken
51 Canada Shane Wright C R 19 2022 Burlington, Ontario Kraken

References
  1. "Firebirds to take flight in Coachella Valley". TheAHL.com. November 5, 2021. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  2. Baker, Geoff (June 26, 2019). "NHL Seattle chooses Palm Springs as site for new AHL farm team". The Seattle Times.
  3. "AHL expanding to Palm Springs in 2021–22". American Hockey League. September 30, 2019.
  4. "CHECKERS ADD SEATTLE KRAKEN AS NHL AFFILIATE". Charlotte Checkers. June 28, 2021.
  5. "New Coachella Valley hockey team will be called Firebirds, with red, orange and black colors". Palm Springs Desert Sun. November 5, 2021.
  6. Powers, Shad (May 3, 2022). "Kraken GM says Firebirds will play early AHL games at Seattle's Climate Pledge Arena is completed". Palm Springs Desert Sun. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
  7. "TheAHL.com | The American Hockey League". theahl.com. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  8. "Coachella Valley Firebirds current roster". eliteprospects.com. October 23, 2023. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  9. "Coachella Valley Firebirds current roster". Coachella Valley Firebirds. October 23, 2023. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
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