Photo: Tim Garland The Coachella Valley Firebirds have signed defenseman Turner Ottenbreit to an American Hockey League contract for the 2024-25 season. Ottenbreit, who spent last season with Kunlun Red Star in the Kontinental Hockey League, has played 179 AHL games with San Antonio and Iowa, recording 10 goals and 29 assists. His last appearance…
Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Features Writer Two years ago, Jessica Campbell made history when she became the first woman to work as a full-time assistant coach in the American Hockey League. Now after two incredibly successful seasons with the Coachella Valley Firebirds, Campbell will break through the same barrier in the National Hockey League. Next stop, Seattle….
Photo: Derek Sparta The Seattle Kraken have hired Derek Laxdal as the new head coach of their American Hockey League affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Laxdal succeeds Dan Bylsma, who was named head coach of the Kraken on May 28. Laxdal, 58, joins the Kraken organization after spending the last two years as head coach…
Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Features Writer Dan Bylsma sighed heavily before speaking, fighting to make it through his post-game press conference. “It hurts a ton,” Bylsma said after Monday’s overtime loss to Hershey in Game 6 ended the Coachella Valley Firebirds’ season just short of a Calder Cup championship for the second year in a row….
Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Features Writer Kole Lind passed along a quick story following Game 5 of the Calder Cup Finals on Saturday night. A 3-2 loss at Acrisure Arena had put Lind and the Coachella Valley Firebirds on the brink of elimination for the first time this postseason. The Firebirds must win two games in…
Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Features Writer This was the Coachella Valley Firebirds putting on a show. Back on home ice for the first time since May 31, the Firebirds handed the visiting Hershey Bears a 6-2 loss in Game 3 of the Calder Cup Finals last night and took a two games to one lead in…
Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Features Writer A lot has happened since the Coachella Valley Firebirds last skated on Acrisure Arena ice. Eighteen days ago, on May 31, the Firebirds took a 2-0 series lead in the Western Conference Finals with a 3-1 win over Milwaukee. From there they flew to Wisconsin and took two of three…
PALM DESERT, Calif. (theahl.com) … Playing on home ice for the first time in 18 days, the Coachella Valley Firebirds took a 2-1 series lead in the 2024 Calder Cup Finals with a 6-2 victory over the Hershey Bears on Tuesday night. Game 4 will be played Thursday at Acrisure Arena (10 ET/7 PT, AHLTV,…
Patrick Williams, TheAHL.com Features Writer Some players are just built to play in June. “It’s a different game in the playoffs,” Coachella Valley Firebirds goaltender Chris Driedger said. “[Fewer] skilled tic-tac-toe plays and a little more bringing out the shovels and taking it to the net.” Firebirds forward John Hayden is one of those players,…
HERSHEY, Pa. (theahl.com) … John Hayden and Ryan Winterton scored twice apiece as the Coachella Valley Firebirds opened the 2024 Calder Cup Finals with a 4-3 win over the Hershey Bears at Giant Center on Friday night. Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is set for Sunday (5 ET, AHLTV, NHL Network). Hayden, who had…
