Coachella Valley Firebirds

The Coachella Valley Firebirds are a professional ice hockey team based in Southern California's Coachella Valley. 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 National Hockey League (NHL)'s Seattle Kraken. The team plays their home games at Acrisure Arena in the town of Thousand Palms, California.

After the approval of the Kraken to join the NHL, the Kraken's ownership group had narrowed down AHL affiliate options 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.

The Firebirds have been well-versed in terms of success. After finishing second in the AHL with 103 points during their inaugural season, they rose to the Calder Cup Finals, losing in seven games to the Hershey Bears. The Firebirds would reach the Finals the following year, losing to Hershey in six games.

Establishment (2018–2022)
On December 4, 2018, the NHL Board of Governors voted unanimously to approve Seattle's NHL 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. 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. 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.

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.

First seasons (2022–present)
On June 21, 2022, Dan Bylsma was named the inaugural head coach of the Firebirds, with their first free agents Samuel Bucek and Ian McKinnon being signed the next month on July 11, 2022. On the day of the Firebirds' first game, October 16, 2022, Max McCormick was announced as the team's captain with Andrew Poturalski and Gustav Olofsson being named alternate captains.

The Firebirds played their first game on October 16, a 6–5 win against the Calgary Wranglers, as well as winning the rematch the next day. During the first stretch of the season, the Firebirds would play their home games in the Seattle metropolitan area, playing four games against the Abbotsford Canucks and the Wranglers at the Kraken Community Iceplex and Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, as well as the Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett. The Firebirds' first game at Acrisure Arena would take place on December 18, a 4–3 win against the Tucson Roadrunners. From December 22, 2022, to January 26, 2023, the Firebirds achieved a fourteen game points streak, the current franchise record. The Firebirds finished the 2022–23 season with 103 points, good for second place of the Pacific Division, behind only the Wranglers, who captured the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy. During the 2023 Calder Cup playoffs, the Firebirds would capture the Western Conference title and advance to the Calder Cup Finals, where they faced off against the Hershey Bears. Goaltender Joey Daccord recorded back to back shutouts in the first two games of the series, but despite this, the Firebirds would fall short of the championship, losing in overtime of game seven.

On March 23, 2024, the Firebirds clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive season following a 4–3 shootout loss against the San Diego Gulls. The Firebirds won their first Pacific Division title during the 2023–24 season, clinching the division and earning a bye in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs following a 3–1 win on April 10, 2024, over the Ontario Reign. During the 2024 Calder Cup playoffs, the Firebirds would capture the Western Conference title and advance to the Calder Cup Finals, where they once-again faced off against the Hershey Bears. For the second straight season, the Firebirds would fall short of the championship, losing in overtime of game six.

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. 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.

On January 6, 2024 the AHL announced that the Firebirds and Acrisure Arena would host the 2025 AHL All-Star Game.

Uniforms
The Firebirds announced their inaugural season uniforms on January 24, 2022, at the Palm Springs Air Museum. They were delivered by the Seattle Kraken, the jerseys themselves in treasure chests. The Firebirds have two main uniforms, one a dark-blue color, and the other white. Both uniforms feature the Firebirds logo in the center, as well as red, orange, and light-blue stripes around the sleeves, with red and light-blue stripes in the bottom.

The Firebirds announced new "Red Alert" uniforms on November 8, 2023, featuring the team's secondary logo.

Mascot
The Firebirds' mascot is an orange, feathered bird named Fuego (the Spanish word for fire). Fuego was announced on August 4, 2022, before the start of the season. Fuego wears a Firebirds jersey, featuring the number 22 on the back. His first game appearance was on October 16.

Radio
All Firebirds games are broadcast on KDGL (106.9 FM). The network broadcast all 72 games of the Firebirds' inaugural season.

Television
Firebirds games are split amongst KESQ-TV, FOX 11, and CW.

Owners
The team is owned by Oak View Group, the organization that also owns Climate Pledge Arena. Tim Leiweke serves as their Chief executive officer (CEO). Steve Fraser served as president of the Firebirds, although he resigned on February 25, 2023.

Head coaches

 * Dan Bylsma, 2022–2024
 * Derek Laxdal, 2024–present

Team captains



 * Max McCormick, 2022–present

League awards

 * Robert W. Clarke Trophy (2022–23, 2023–24)
 * John D. Chick Trophy (2023–24)