Sports
Firebirds Coach Derek Laxdal Talks Season 5 Ahead of Friday's Home Opener
Hockey in the desert is back for a fifth season. The Coachella Valley Firebirds, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Seattle Kraken, host their home opener this Friday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m. at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert.
Ahead of puck drop, Head Coach Derek Laxdal sat down with NBC Palm Springs Sports Director Tim O'Brien during our morning show to talk about what's ahead.
Last season, the Firebirds were the youngest team in the league, though that didn't stop them from making a run to the Pacific Division Finals. Laxdal, now entering his third season behind the Firebirds bench, said this year's group is a year older and still packed with prospects. "We're not the youngest team in the league anymore. We're a decent team. We've got a lot of prospects," Laxdal said. "We're looking forward to a great season." He added that several players are close to earning a call up to Seattle, which he sees as a reflection of the program built here in the Coachella Valley.
Friday's opener also renews a growing rivalry. The Firebirds face the Ontario Reign, a team they knocked out of the playoffs last season. Laxdal said many fans still tell him they made the trip to Ontario for that Game 5, and with the two arenas only about an hour apart, he thinks the matchup "only grows the game of hockey."
Watch the full interview with Coach Laxdal above. Tickets for Friday's home opener are available on Ticketmaster.
By: NBC Palm Springs
September 28, 2026
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