The Coachella Valley Firebirds returned to the valley and took the ice for their first day of training camp. With a new head coach and nine returning players, the Birds are ready to prove that the winning culture never left. “The culture has been set in place by Dan and his staff and their organization,”
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The Coachella Valley Firebirds signed rookie forward Landon McCallum for the upcoming 2024-25 season. McCallum, 21, played with the Sudbury Wolves of the Ontario Hockey for the last four seasons. He has recorded 163 points in 246 games with the Wolves, registering 49 goals and adding 104 assists. He hails from Delhi, Ontario, Canada and
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The Coachella Valley Firebirds today announced the re-signing of defenseman Jake McLaughlin, who was scoreless in two games with the American Hockey League team last season. McLaughlin spent the bulk of the 2023-24 season with the Kansas City Mavericks, the ECHL affiliate of the Firebirds’ NHL parent team, the Seattle Kraken, where he had three
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The Coachella Valley Firebirds signed defenseman Turner Ottenbreit for the 2024-25 season. Ottenbreit returns to North America after one season in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), playing with the Kunlun Red Star in Beijing, China. Before his time overseas, Ottenbreit spend four seasons with the AHL’s Iowa Wild and part of one season with the
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The Coachella Valley Firebirds today announced the signing of center Cade Borchardt, the ECHL’s leading scorer among rookies in the 2023-24 season. Borchardt had 77 points on 24 goals and 53 assists in 71 regular- season games with the Kansas City Mavericks, the ECHL affiliate of the Firebirds’ NHL parent team, the Seattle Kraken, and
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The Coachella Valley Firebirds have added forward Jackson Berezowski to their roster for the 2024-25 season. Berezowski comes to Coachella Valley after playing 59 games for the Newfoundland Growlers of the ECHL and one game for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies. The 22-year-old had 54 points (18 goals, 36 assists) during his time with the Growlers.
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The Coachella Valley Firebirds signed forward Damien Giroux for the 2024-25 season. Giroux, 24, has played 179 games in the AHL over his career, including stints with the Iowa Wild and the Rochester Americans. The Sudbury, Ontario, Canada native has recorded 59 points (17 goals, 42 assists) over his time in the AHL and has
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Goaltender Jack LaFontaine will return to the Coachella Valley Firebirds for the 2024-25 season. The Firebirds announced LaFontaine re-signed on Thursday. LaFontaine appeared in three games for Coachella Valley last season, posting a 2-0-0 record with a 2.30 goals against average and a .919 save percentage. The native of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada helped lead the Kansas
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The Coachella Valley Firebirds have announced that forward Cam Morrison has been signed for the 2024-25 hockey season. Morrison has skated in 124 American Hockey League games over the past three seasons, dressing for the Rockford IceHogs and Charlotte Checkers. The Aurora, Ontario, Canada native also appeared in 24 games for the Florida Everblades of
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Forward Ian McKinnon will return to the Coachella Valley Firebirds for the 2024-25 season. The Firebirds welcomed back McKinnon with an announcement on Thursday. McKinnon, 26, has appeared in 56 games for Coachella Valley over the last two seasons, totaling 140 penalty minutes. He was also one of the first two players ever signed by the
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Derek Laxdal was officially introduced as the new head coach of the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Wednesday. Laxdal, 58, is the Firebirds’ second-ever head coach. “We’re really looking forward to, obviously, building on the program that’s in place here. The success that the organization has had over the last two years is incredible and part
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The Coachella Valley Firebirds officially have their new assistant coach. Brennan Sonne was named assistant coach for the Firebirds on Monday, joining newly-named head coach Derek Laxdal. “I am beyond grateful for the opportunity, and my wife, daughter, and I are thrilled to be joining the Coachella Valley community,” said Sonne. “I intend on working
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The Coachella Valley Firebirds have announced the full schedule for their 2024-25 season. The 72-game calendar has 11 different opponents scheduled. The first game will be at Acrisure Arena on Friday, Oct. 11 against the Bakersfield Condors. Nine divisional opponents are set to compete against the Firebirds, including Abbotsford, Bakersfield, Calgary, Colorado, Henderson, Ontario, San
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The Coachella Valley Firebirds’ home opener for the AHL 2024-25 season was released on Wednesday. The Firebirds will kick off their 2024-25 season at Acrisure Arena on Friday, October 11th against the Bakersfield Condors. Coachella Valley will look to bounce back after another heart-breaking overtime loss in the Calder Cup Finals. The team will have
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Derek Laxdal met with the media on Monday for the first time since being named head coach on Friday, July 5. Derek Laxdal met with the media today for the first time since being named head coach of the Coachella Valley Firebirds last week. The 58-year-old is a proven winner and seems like a solid
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The Coachella Valley Firebirds have named Derek Laxdal as its new head coach. Laxdal, 58, is a former NHL player and a long-time coach across the NHL, AHL, ECHL, Western Hockey League, and Ontario Hockey League. He spent the last two years as head coach of the Oshawa Generals in the OHL, guiding the team
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Former Firebirds assistant coach Jessica Campbell is making NHL history as its first full-time female assistant coach. Campbell was hired as the assistant coach of the Seattle Kraken, joining former Firebirds’ head coach Dan Bylsma’s staff. “During our tenure in Coachella Valley, I saw firsthand Jessica’s commitment to player development,” Bylsma said. “Her ability to
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AP Sports Writer SEATTLE (AP) — At some point, Dan Bylsma will get a semblance of an offseason and a little downtime. Right now, it seems like nonstop chaos for the new coach of the Seattle Kraken. “It’s good to get here and kind of get focused on just the Kraken,” Bylsma said. “The players
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It’s free agency time in the hockey world and the Coachella Valley Firebirds will see some big changes this next season. Potentially Returning The Seattle Kraken signed Max McCormick, Luke Henman, and Ales Stezka to new, two-way deal, meaning there is a chance they could return to the Coachella Valley Firebirds. John Hayden also signed
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Following a disappointing end to their season on Monday in Game 6 of the Calder Cup Finals, Firebirds players addressed the media on Thursday prior to heading home for the off-season. Hershey Bears defeat Firebirds 5-4 in overtime. Bears are are back to back Calder Cup champions. Wow. @KESQ pic.twitter.com/7uzKc9AStz— Blake Arthur (@BlakeArthur24) June 25,
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