Coachella Valley Firebirds add three new players to roster ahead of inaugural season

The Coachella Valley Firebirds announced the signings of three new players on Thursday.

and the #CVFirebirds team continues to grow🔥

Learn more about the guys here ▶️ https://t.co/cGPmHmKiEj | #IgniteTheSeason pic.twitter.com/BQj0avghjp

— Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) September 22, 2022

David Cotton, Jimmy Schuldt, and Eddie Wittchow are the newest members of the team who will play a pivotal part in the inaugural season.

The @Firebirds have signed @CottonDavid @Jimschuldt22 and @TeamEdward_20 to AHL contracts for the 2022-23 season.

📝: https://t.co/nKcOywrWg0 pic.twitter.com/ycq46i958r

— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) September 22, 2022

David Cotton joins the Firebirds coming off a Calder Cup Championship-winning season with the American Hockey League’s Chicago Wolves. In 81 AHL games, the Parker, TX-native recorded 37 points (21 goals, 16 assists) over the course of two seasons. Cotton signed with the Blackhawks’ affiliate following his senior year (2019-2020) at Boston College, where he served as team captain. In 2017-2018, the former Carolina Hurricanes draft choice (169^th overall in 2015) helped the Eagles to an NCAA Hockey East Championship. 

Jimmy Schuldt comes to Coachella Valley with 151 games of AHL experience across three seasons, skating with the Chicago Wolves, Henderson Silver Knights, and most recently with the Rochester Americans. In 2018-2019, the 6-foot-1, 203-pound right-handed shot played one game for the Vegas Golden Knights in the National Hockey League. Schuldt spent four seasons with St. Cloud State University and was named captain heading into his sophomore season. The 27-year-old hails from Minnetonka, MN. 

Eddie Wittchow brings over 200 games of professional hockey experience to the desert after spending the last three seasons in the Washington Capitals’ organization with the Hershey Bears (AHL) and South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL). Following four seasons at the University of Wisconsin, the former 2011 Florida Panthers’ sixth round draft pick signed with the AHL’s Springfield Thunderbirds. Wittchow, a native of Burnsville, MN, played in Finland during the 2018-2019 season with KooKoo in Liiga. 

The Firebirds will face off for their Home Away from Home Series in Seattle this October against the Abbotsford Canucks and Calgary Wranglers. The four games will take place at three different venues in the Seattle area. For more ticket and matchup information, click here.

Coachella Valley’s inaugural game will take place on Sunday, October 16, 2022, in Calgary against the Calgary Wranglers.

The Firebirds' first game at Acrisure Arena is scheduled to take place on Sunday, December 18, 2022, against the Tucson Roadrunners.

Season tickets for the 2022-2023 season are now on sale. For more information and to purchase season tickets for the inaugural season, please visit www.cvfirebirds.com or call 760-835-8778. View the team’s full schedule at www.cvfirebirds.com/schedule.

KESQ News Channel 3's group of stations will be your go-to place to watch firebirds games on television. As the team's partner, we'll bring you exclusive:

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Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing updates.