For the third straight year, the Coachella Valley Firebirds are playoff bound, and once again, their postseason journey begins against a familiar opponent — the Calgary Wranglers. Game one of the best-of-three first-round series begins Tuesday night at Acrisure Arena.
NBC Palm Springs’ Tim O’Brien joined Fred Roggin for a preview on The Roggin Report, noting how different this year’s team looks compared to previous veteran-heavy playoff rosters. “They’ve had more roster turnover and rookies this year than in their first two seasons combined,” O’Brien said. “This was the year we really saw what it means to be a minor league affiliate.”
Despite recent struggles at home and a dip in scoring, the Firebirds still secured home-ice advantage and finished the season with 84 points. Head coach Derek Laxdal, who took over following Dan Bylsma’s promotion to Seattle, has managed to keep the team consistent despite constant player movement between the AHL and NHL clubs.
Surprising news out of Seattle this week added drama to the mix: Bylsma was let go after just one season coaching the Kraken. While some fans speculated about a return to the desert, O’Brien dismissed that possibility. “The Firebirds are Seattle’s affiliate. If you fire the guy up top, he’s not coming back to work for the guy who just let him go.”
As for this matchup, O’Brien says Calgary’s physical play and size will challenge the Firebirds. “They’ve got to get the puck deep and win behind the net. If they play their cycle game, they’ll be okay.”
Game one is Tuesday, with game two scheduled for Saturday and a deciding game three, if necessary, on Sunday.
Fans are hoping home ice, a fresh roster, and a hungry team can lead the Firebirds on another deep postseason run.
Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.
By: Fred Roggin
April 22, 2025
